[Adult City] Lonely Officialdom (Final Episode) - Episode 13

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

Chapter 76 Everything Will Be Already

(This chapter's title is for everyone: Everything Will Be Already!)

"Zhang Bing, are you serious? I got promoted twice?" Deng Chunguang looked unsure. "Shuguang, try pinching me!"

No wonder Deng Chunguang didn't believe it; it was like a huge pie falling from the sky and hitting him, making him feel like he was in a dream. He was 46 years old today. He had spent 25 years rising from a lowly policeman to his current position as a section-level cadre. Although he was still a minor figure in the provincial capital, he was considered a respected figure in his hometown. He had originally thought that retiring as a division-level cadre would be a blessing; but now he had achieved his long-cherished goal in one step—the deputy director of the provincial bureau was a full division-level position! More importantly, a 46-year-old full division-level cadre was a rare find, considered a prime age with a high chance of advancing further. And from the deputy director level onwards, one would be considered a senior cadre. For someone who had climbed the field ridges to reach that level was truly a stroke of incredible luck! He needed to go back and properly pay respects to his ancestors during the Spring Festival.

Zhao Shuguang and Huang Jiangang were also overjoyed. Although Zhang Bing hadn't told them about their similar promotions, their friend had been promoted to deputy director—could their good days be far behind? Because of Zhang Bing's connections and the fact that they had spent time together in the investigation team, the three had a very good relationship. Huang Jiangang and Deng Chunguang, in particular, were childhood best friends. He grinned and approached Deng Chunguang, who was still lost in his daydreams, and patted him to wake him up. "Director Deng, no, Director Deng of the Municipal Bureau, you've been promoted! Aren't you going to treat us?"

"Treat us, treat us, definitely! Order whatever you want, how about it?" Deng Chunguang was so happy he didn't know how to express his emotions. He had originally planned to side with Zhang Bing, use this case to bring down Director Zhu and take his place, but who knew he would rise to the top so quickly! Only then did he remember to thank Zhang Bing, and he quickly and solemnly thanked Zhang Bing, "Hehe, brother, I am where I am today all thanks to Brother Zhang Bing. I won't thank you enough. If you ever need anything, just give me a call, I'll be there anytime!" He now completely saw himself as Zhang Bing's subordinate. After this incident, he truly understood Zhang Bing's influence—far greater than he had previously thought. Following him would definitely be beneficial.

"Director Deng, give it to me, as a token of my appreciation, hehe!" Huang Jiangang still wouldn't let Deng Chunguang off the hook. He grinned slyly, pointing his index finger and thumb at Deng Chunguang. Deng Chunguang, who had been with him since childhood, finally understood what he meant, but before he could react, Huang Jiangang seized the opportunity to pull open his suit jacket, quickly pulled out his wallet from his inner pocket, and then ran away laughing. He pulled out a stack of hundred-yuan bills and distributed them to the other two. "Hehe, don't think it's too little, everyone. It's a bonus, it's from Director Deng. We'll treat everyone to dinner when we go back to the provincial capital tomorrow, haha!"

Zhang Bing had been sitting there smiling since he finished speaking. A superior must have the dignity and aura of a superior. This was what Li Huan had told him. The three of them were his first batch of subordinates, and he was the youngest. Of course, he couldn't just joke around and let them look down on him. Seeing the two joking around, he felt he should also crack a joke to improve their relationship. So, after taking the money Huang Jiangang handed him, he stood up, smiling as he collected the large bills from the other two. Then, looking at Deng Chunguang, who was standing there looking helpless, he laughed, "Deng Chun, don't be discouraged! Go and snatch their lucky money too, haha!" He then returned to his seat and counted the money with a serious air. "Hmm, not bad for today, keep it up, Director Deng!"

Seeing Zhang Bing join the game, Deng Chunguang naturally complied. His earlier playful antics with Huang Jiangang were meant to liven things up and express gratitude to Zhang Bing. Otherwise, how could they, as parents, act like children? Only in front of close friends can one be truly uninhibited; only by appearing affectionate can one be considered a true friend—this is the philosophy of Chinese officialdom!

After the three men had emptied their wallets, laughing and joking, a thick wad of red bills was pushed in front of Zhang Bing, estimated to be nearly 50,000 yuan. Zhang Bing inwardly sighed at how rich these guys were, then pretended to marvel at his good haul before casually announcing to the three men who were practically frantic with worry, "Huang Jiangang is being transferred to the position of director of the airport police station, at the section-level; Zhao Shuguang is replacing Director Deng as deputy director!"

Although they had been mentally prepared, the two men reacted exactly like Deng Chunguang had earlier. The promotions were quite significant, exceeding their expectations, especially Huang Jiangang. He had only officially joined Zhang Bing's team on the day of Zhang Bing's car accident, originally thinking that just being able to participate in the investigation team and make an appearance in front of the leaders would be enough. Who would have thought that he would be transferred so quickly? The Chunhua Town Police Station was under the county jurisdiction, while the Airport Police Station was under the city jurisdiction, and it was a large, lucrative position that even the directors of the various city-level branch bureaus envied. Now that he had it in his hands, it was truly unbelievable!

After everyone congratulated each other and the banter subsided, Zhang Bing smiled and dropped another bombshell: "If you have time, come here again tomorrow night. Vice Minister Fang will be having dinner here; you can accompany him and get acquainted!"

This time, there were no cheers, but everyone stared at him with wide eyes, their gazes a mixture of doubt, surprise, and shock. Zhang Bing ignored them, simply nodding to confirm they hadn't misheard, before walking out. "Official business is done. I need to go play with Feifei. Those of you who don't have anything to do can stay the night; those who do can go back now. Make yourself at home! This money is for the guests; take it with you!" Li Huan had said that a leader should act like a leader. Although Zhang Bing, given his personality, wanted to continue joking and sharing the joy with them, as the leader of this newly formed group, a balance of kindness and firmness was essential. Zhang Bing had to hide his immaturity in front of these people.

Watching Zhang Bing walk away with ease, Huang Jiangang was filled with emotion. Unlike Deng Chunguang and Zhao Shuguang, who met Zhang Bing relatively late, by which time Zhang Bing already had a certain backing and influence, giving him a dominant position in their interactions. Huang Jiangang, however, knew Zhang Bing from when he was still relatively unknown. Their first meeting was three months prior when Zhang Bing went to the town police station to register his household registration. Huang Jiangang happened to be there and, hearing that the young man had transferred his registration from Beijing to the local area, felt a bit curious and exchanged a few words. Later, Huang Jiangang treated him to a meal, and Huang Jiangang noticed that Li Huan, who was usually indifferent to everyone, was very enthusiastic towards him. That's when Huang Jiangang remembered Zhang Bing, but at the time, he didn't think much of it, only that he was indeed from Beijing, and that Zhang Bing was very tactful in his speech and actions, and his demeanor was quite generous and appropriate. They met a few more times and had a few more meals together, and the impression he had was that Zhang Bing was changing every day. It wasn't until Huang Jiangang went to the county to check some information that the news he received shocked the brothers: Zhang Bing was a favorite of the county magistrate! Huang Jiangang remembered his elder brother, Huang Jianming, who was the town magistrate at the time, saying, "A true master doesn't reveal his abilities; a hidden dragon lies in the abyss!" and repeatedly warned Huang Jiangang not to offend this young man, promising to cooperate with his work as much as possible. Just as his brother had predicted, within a month, the county magistrate visited his home, he chatted and laughed with the deputy secretary-general of the provincial party committee at the airport, the municipal party secretary toasted him, and the provincial party secretary praised him. One miracle after another was dazzling and overwhelming, and his distance from him seemed to be getting further and further away, and he could no longer see clearly, even though in name he was still a small village official under his jurisdiction. Finally, he witnessed his close friend Deng Chunguang, who was of a high rank in his eyes, come from the provincial capital to join this village official, and then persuade his brother to join him as well. Huang Jiangang was reluctant, feeling it was absurd to pledge loyalty to a minor village official under his jurisdiction. He figured asking for help was a simple matter of a few words; the official had family in his jurisdiction and there was no need for flattery, plus he didn't seem to have any real power. However, his elder brother, Mayor Huang, was tempted and decided to join him, and Huang, who greatly admired his brother's political acumen, reluctantly agreed and ultimately joined the front lines. He hadn't expected the rewards to come so quickly and so intensely, leaving him bewildered.

"Brother, don't be so dazed. Just be loyal and work hard from now on. You'll have butter, you'll have bread, you'll have everything, haha!" Deng Chunguang, understanding his close friend's thoughts, chuckled and comforted him.

"Hehe, you'll be a deputy director, my ambitious old man!" Huang Jiangang joked, realizing this wasn't the time for sentimentality. He laughed and joked with the other two.

"Tell me, how did Zhang Bing manage to promote us like this? Even Secretary Liu couldn't make that decision. What connections does he have that allowed the three of us to be promoted two ranks at once?" After celebrating, the group discussed it and decided to wait there until tomorrow. They also wanted to relax and spend more time with Zhang Bing to strengthen their relationship. When they had some free time, Zhao Shuguang brought up this topic.

"Hehe, don't overthink this question. It's beyond our comprehension. But I can let you in on a secret: Zhang Bing is now a favorite of the Provincial Party Secretary and our Secretary Guan, and he also has significant connections in Beijing. I suspect Minister Fang's visit here is also due to his connections in Beijing, haha!" Deng Chunguang glanced cautiously outside the door. Happy people always want to share their joy with others. "Let's not speculate about the leaders' secrets. Let's go out and chat with them, and play with Xiao Feifei for a while. This is a great opportunity to build rapport with the leaders!"

"Hehe, yes, yes, it's said that Feifei is also the granddaughter of a high-ranking provincial leader. Spending more time with her won't hurt. Maybe we'll run into her someday because of this high-ranking provincial leader!" Zhao Shuguang responded with a smile, and the three of them walked out hand in hand, laughing.

Chapter 77

The next morning, Deng Chunguang was a little depressed. Last night, after everyone had gone to sleep, he went to find Hong Gang. Hong Gang had been with Zhang Bing these past few days and should know a lot about Zhang Bing's affairs. He wanted to find out more about Zhang Bing's network of relationships in private. Although he didn't have any bad intentions, he had now pinned his future on this young man, and he felt that the more he knew about him, the more at ease he would feel. Unfortunately, Hong Gang kept his mouth shut. "Brother Deng, you taught me to be honest. The army taught me to keep things confidential when dealing with leaders. Brother Zhang trusted me and let me know a lot of things. Do you think I could let him down or betray your teachings?"

"You little rascal, you've got a whole set of rules. Alright, I won't make things difficult for you. Just do a good job!" Deng Chunguang was a carefree person and knew that what he was doing wasn't very ethical. Besides, he had talked about this principle with others that afternoon. He patted Hong Gang on the shoulder, his face becoming serious. "Hong Gang, from now on, you'll work with Brother Zhang Bing. I can see that you're in much better shape now than when you were a security guard. I believe you'll do even better in the future. I've lived up to your brother's expectations, haha!"

"Brother Deng, don't worry, that's what I think too. I'll do a good job!" Hong Gang looked at Deng Chunguang gratefully, hesitated for a moment, and then leaned closer to him and said, "Brother Deng, I think you'll have a bright future with Brother Zhang's help, a brighter future than you imagine, really!"

This kid, so secretive! Deng Chunguang pondered Hong Gang's last words—they were loaded with meaning, practically tantalizing him! But with that, he felt more confident. Heh, better not think about it anymore. A little exercise, then going sightseeing with them wouldn't be bad. Zhang Bing's women all had powerful backgrounds, not to be offended, but they were relatively easy to get along with. They'd had a good chat yesterday afternoon, especially with Feifei around—she was a real joy, bringing back fond childhood memories.

"Zhang Bing, Minister Fang is coming over for lunch this afternoon. Would it be appropriate for us to accompany him? We were his direct subordinates in the investigation team a few days ago. Will Minister Fang be unhappy with us? Will the leader not be able to fully enjoy himself?" Deng Chunguang, being older, felt he should consider things more carefully, hence his constant anxiety.

Zhang Bing smiled but didn't speak, continuing to chat and laugh with his beloved Feifei around his neck. Deng Chunguang and the others had subtly hinted at this yesterday, but he hadn't answered—sometimes no answer is the best answer. This was Zhang Bing's experience after several years as a manager, and he felt it applied equally to leadership styles.

"Oh, is that so? You guys can keep Minister Fang company with a few drinks then. Making him happy is easy; just get him completely drunk, and the leader will appreciate your enthusiasm and won't say a word, hehe!" Jiang Yan interjected.

The girl was still angry! Yesterday, she had planned to go sightseeing with her two buddies, Zhang Bing and Jiang, to enjoy the beautiful natural environment and let her true nature shine through. It would have been wonderful, and being so innocent, she couldn't stand Ma Pei's spoiled attitude; she disliked her when she saw her. However, one sentence from Fei Fei brought a whole bunch of people. If it were just the original group of women, it wouldn't have been so bad, since she knew them somewhat and wasn't afraid to be laughed at for talking about being "brother" with Zhang Bing and Jiang in front of them. But with several men joining in the morning, she was quite annoyed. She had to try her best to maintain the image of a well-mannered lady, not jumping around like a child, not arguing with her buddies, not yelling and fighting with Fei Fei over a wildflower—what kind of atmosphere would that be? Her good mood was ruined. Just then, Fei Fei snatched a pretty flower she had just picked, and Deng Chunguang, oblivious to the danger, was nagging nearby, which crossed Jiang's line of fire. So, she couldn't resist revealing her mischievous nature and decided to play a trick on him.

Someone's in for a rough time! Zhang Bing chuckled to himself. It was fine for Jiang Yan to mess around with these little things; he trusted her to handle it. Jiang Yan had said yesterday that Fang Yuanshan wasn't a good person either. He had betrayed the Jiang family at a crucial moment and was now trying to get back on their good side. A little drunken punishment wouldn't make him angry; on the contrary, he would see it as a sign that Miss Jiang was getting over her anger. Minister Fang would be more than happy to accept it!

Zhang Bing pretended to tap Jiang Yan on the head, but the girl giggled and dodged. Then, she said seriously to Deng Chunguang, who was standing next to her, looking somewhat embarrassed, "Director Deng, I'm serious. You guys really have to keep Minister Fang company. You have to drink until you're completely drunk, otherwise these three of you haven't done a good job of entertaining him!"

Deng Chunguang was a little stunned. He looked at the other two men who were listening intently, and they were equally at a loss. He could only turn to Zhang Bing for help. Zhang Bing smiled slightly, playing with the flower wreath in Fei Fei's hand, without looking at him. "I'm still recovering from my injury, and the other ladies can't drink either, so you guys really have to keep Minister Fang company! We can't let the Minister think we're not enthusiastic!"

Huh? Deng Chunguang was even more confused, staring blankly at the other two. Seeing the three grown men's dumbfounded expressions, Jiang Yan, with her childlike nature, finally felt a sense of relief and burst into unrestrained laughter. Li Huan, who was beside her, had anticipated this outcome and couldn't help but laugh along, grabbing Ma Pei's shoulders and shaking her incessantly. In the end, he could only tap Zhang Bing, scolding him for playing pranks on others with Jiang Yan, before snatching Fei Fei and running off laughing. Ma Pei, because these three were all her uncle's subordinates and because of her usual arrogance, didn't care about them. After smiling, she winked and cooperated with Jiang Yan, "Yes, Director Deng, you can't expect Zhang Bing to drink with Minister Fang, can you? The enthusiasm of the people of Changxiang City depends entirely on the three of you!" Her father had told her that they couldn't afford to offend Jiang Yan's background, so now Ma Pei didn't dare to argue with Jiang Yan and instead tried to ingratiate herself.

Being teased by these women, the three of them were naturally embarrassed and had no idea how they had offended these ladies. However, Zhao Shuguang was quick-witted. He didn't know if the three women were telling the truth, but Zhang Bing wouldn't deliberately mock them, so it must be true. Therefore, he patted his chest boldly, "No problem, drinking is on us. We'll definitely make Minister Fang satisfied!" It wasn't until later, when they became Zhang Bing's confidants, that Zhang Bing, in a lighthearted conversation, revealed Jiang Yan's scheme as a joke. Only then did the three realize their mistake, no wonder the other women laughed. However, they also benefited from this misfortune. They temporarily lost face but gained the honor of sitting at the same table with the highest leader of the system. After Minister Fang gained the Jiang family's forgiveness, he considered the three of them to be confidants of the Jiang family or Zhang Bing, thus trusting them greatly and gaining their appreciation.

Fang Yuanshan came alone, and Zhang Bing sent someone to pick him up. Because his identity was too sensitive, and Jiang Yan's identity needed to be kept extremely secret, it was all done somewhat stealthily. However, Fang Yuanshan had no time to worry about these things. He knew that this meeting might determine the rest of his life—his information network was quite extensive, and Jiang Yongnian had been officially designated as the next Standing Committee member and Premier of the State Council. If he didn't take advantage of this excellent opportunity to repair his relationship with the Jiang family, he would be an idiot! Moreover, he was now facing a relatively innocent young girl, which was better than facing the cunning Jiang father and son. Therefore, he was quite confident. Furthermore, the rapid promotion of the people recommended by Zhang Bing was also part of his calculations, a kind of investment he had made in advance. When he arrived in Changxiang City, he realized that the relationship between Zhang Bing and the Jiang family was not as simple as the information suggested. The eldest daughter of the Jiang family seemed to value and rely on this young man very much, so he also paid more attention to Zhang Bing, as well as the people around him.

"Minister Fang, thank you for your hard work! You've come all this way!" Seeing the car that was supposed to pick up Fang Yuanshan arrive, Zhang Bing, along with Deng Chunguang and two others, greeted him at the door, opening the door for him. The other women didn't get out; there was no need.

"Hehe, it's nothing. I've heard so much about the scenery here, but I've never had the chance to come and see it. Today I can finally feast my eyes!" Lost in thought, Fang Yuanshan quickly got out of the car and shook hands with Zhang Bing. At this moment, he dared not be negligent towards anyone here, including the three former subordinates behind him. After their respectful greetings, he smiled and nodded in response. A true man can bend and stretch; in officialdom, saving face is the least important thing. Power brings face. If he can gain Miss Jiang's forgiveness today, then he'll have all the face he needs in the future.

“Alright, since there’s still some time before dinner, shall I show you around the scenery?” Zhang Bing readily agreed. Jiang Yan hated dealing with people in officialdom, and even though she reluctantly agreed for Zhang Bing’s sake, it was better to avoid bothering her. Besides, that’s how things are in officialdom. Jiang Yan’s agreement to meet Fang Yuanshan meant she accepted his apology, and everyone knew it. As long as Jiang Yan said a few words to him at the dinner table and called him Uncle Fang, it would already make Fang Yuanshan extremely excited!

“Good, let’s enjoy the scenery! After being so busy for so long, it’s necessary to relax and enjoy nature!” Minister Fang smiled broadly and turned to look at the three people following behind him. “You three have performed very well this time. I want to see your work summary for this case and your work plans for your new positions. Go!”

The three of them couldn’t wait. A few old men going hiking and enjoying the scenery, especially with their own superiors, how uncomfortable! They knew Minister Fang was trying to get rid of them, but it was an opportunity given by a leader, and they certainly couldn’t miss it. As the saying goes, in officialdom, no matter how capable you are, you still need a leader to see you. Otherwise, there are plenty of capable people, but only a few get promoted. Otherwise, where does the leader's prestige come from? Now, Minister Fang is clearly giving the three of them a chance to show off their abilities. If the three of them can't seize this opportunity to shine in front of the highest leader, then they really shouldn't be in this business.

Chapter 78 Wine should intoxicate, and people should intoxicate even more .

"Xiao Bing, I heard you're quite familiar with Jiang Yan?" After laughing and joking for a while, the two of them were commenting on the scenery and chatting idly when Minister Fang suddenly asked.

"Uh? It's alright, we probably just get along well. Jiang Yan said I'm his buddy, hehe." Zhang Bing really didn't expect Minister Fang to ask so suddenly and so strangely. If we weren't familiar, would I be able to talk about things on his behalf? If we weren't familiar, would Vice Premier Jiang mention me to you?

"Hehe, it seems you two are indeed destined for each other. Cherish it!" Fang Yuanshan smiled ambiguously. At his age, he no longer believed in pure friendship between men and women. Although he knew the Jiang family would never accept a commoner son-in-law, he still encouraged him. "Have you met Old Master Jiang?"

"You mean General Jiang? Jiang Yan's grandfather? No! I've only met his father, hehe!" Zhang Bing couldn't help but laugh when he thought of his

meeting with Jiang Yongnian. A national leader had that side to him? He was probably one of the few who enjoyed being threatened by a leader! Fang Yuanshan was startled by Zhang Bing's smile. The young man's smile was relaxed, indicating that his meeting with Vice Premier Jiang was very pleasant. Therefore, his status in the Jiang family's eyes had to be overestimated again. It seemed he had underestimated this young man. Thinking this, Fang Yuanshan's face became even more harmonious. "Hehe, then you know my relationship with the Jiang family, right?"

This was Fang Yuanshan's trump card! A trump card to test the depth of Zhang Bing's relationship with the Jiang family! His relationship with the Jiang family wasn't honorable, but now wasn't the time to save face. He needed to find out the details before deciding how to treat him.

"Heh, I know a little. What are you referring to?" Zhang Bing didn't quite understand Fang Yuanshan's meaning. Did he think his past betrayal was honorable? Therefore, he didn't dare speak first, as that would be extremely disrespectful to Fang Yuanshan. However, he wouldn't pretend not to know, as that would make Fang Yuanshan look down on him. If he had absolutely no intention of using the Jiang family before, now, having witnessed the benefits of power, he was consciously starting to use the Jiang family's reputation to gain some of his own interests, even though he inwardly resisted doing so deliberately.

Seeing Fang Yuanshan staring at him with suspicion, a mixture of arrogance and disdain, Zhang Bing ignored him, averted his gaze, and walked forward alone. The two walked for a long time without speaking.

Reaching the top of a small hill, Zhang Bing stopped, gazing at the winding path in the distance. He smiled calmly, his eyes piercing Fang Yuanshan's heart. "Minister Fang," he said, "look at the path we took up the mountain. No matter how winding it was, it eventually led us back to the right path, allowing us to reach this hill and enjoy the view. This is our good fortune! If this path didn't lead to the summit, we wouldn't have made it up; we'd be forever stuck on the mountainside or at the foot of the mountain. What do you think?"

Fang Yuanshan's body stiffened, a hint of involuntary shock finally appearing on his usually smiling face. He stared sharply back at Zhang Bing, and the two remained silent, just gazing at each other for a long time. Then, Fang Yuanshan burst into laughter, and Zhang Bing relaxed, a smile returning to his face.

"Little Bing," he said, "well said! We've reached this summit together; this is our good fortune! No matter what happened before, as long as we firmly follow this path, we'll definitely reach even higher peaks. What do you say?" After laughing for a while, Fang Yuanshan patted Zhang Bing's shoulder affectionately, speaking with great joy.

"Of course! Minister Fang, you have a broader perspective and a higher level of vision than a greenhorn like me. You'll definitely go further than me, I believe!" Zhang Bing quickly flattered him, showing no smugness. He had just made a risky move. He couldn't figure out Fang Yuanshan's true thoughts, unsure if revealing his shameful past would incur Fang's wrath. But keeping quiet was obviously not an option either. He saw obvious contempt in Fang Yuanshan's eyes, a contempt clearly triggered by the previous topic. There's an old saying in the countryside: "Lead the ox by the nose"—because the ox's nose is delicate! Therefore, to gain obedience, one must find a weakness, because weaknesses are easy to exploit! Zhang Bing clearly knew Fang Yuanshan's weakness: his dishonorable past. But he dared not gamble with it, wavering between angering him and being looked down upon, unsure which to choose. Fortunately, Xiao Shan helped him find a suitable topic, subtly hinting at Fang Yuanshan's past, thus regaining Fang Yuanshan's respect—no, it should be said, even more respect and warmth than before.

"Hehe, Xiao Bing, it seems that Jiang Yan is really your good buddy!" Fang Yuanshan emphasized the word "good," the meaning of which was self-evident.

"Hehe, we just met by chance, and we're kindred spirits!" Zhang Bing certainly wouldn't tell the truth. Actually, it should be said that his friendship with Jiang Yan was forged in a fight; they became friends after a fight, after all. He had been quite embarrassed by that girl back then.

Fang Yuanshan didn't dwell on this topic any further. What he needed to know was Zhang Bing's position in the Jiang family's eyes, which was now clear. As for the details of Zhang Bing's relationship with the eldest daughter of the Jiang family, he wasn't very interested. He had only asked casually earlier, and since Zhang Bing kept it a secret, he naturally wouldn't ask again. So the two resumed their idyllic conversation.

As they returned and reached the gate, Fang Yuanshan suddenly stopped, his eyes filled with anticipation. "Xiao Bing, do you think Jiang Yan will acknowledge me as her uncle?"

Zhang Bing understood his meaning. If Jiang Yan called him "Uncle Fang," it meant Fang Yuanshan had been accepted back by the Jiang family. In official circles, forms of address were an art. Generally, using official titles indicated politeness and distance, while personal titles represented intimacy. Fang Yuanshan didn't care about Jiang Yan's form of address, but he cared about the Jiang family's recognition of him behind it.

"Minister Fang, I'm not a mind reader for Jiang Yan, so how would I know what she's thinking? I really can't answer your question. However, I can tell you that Jiang Yan invited Deng Chunguang and the other two to accompany you for drinks, saying she would make sure you had a good time!" Zhang Bing couldn't help but laugh at the thought of Jiang Yan's scheme. He knew that rather than Jiang Yan's sudden idea to punish Deng Chunguang and the others for their lack of tact, it was more like Jiang Yan wanted to use this opportunity to punish Fang Yuanshan for his past betrayal. Although he felt some sympathy for this 50-something-year-old man and wanted to curry favor with him, he didn't say it outright.

"Hehe, we have to drink this wine, until we're drunk!" Fang Yuanshan was a cunning old fox who had fought his way up in the officialdom, so he immediately understood what Zhang Bing meant: Jiang Yan was angry, so she wanted to get you drunk so she could vent her anger, but the Jiang family had accepted you! He patted Zhang Bing on the shoulder, "Hehe, the ancients said that wine doesn't intoxicate people, people intoxicate themselves. Today, I want wine to intoxicate people, and I want people to intoxicate even more! Haha, thank you, Xiao Bing!"

Fang Yuanshan took out a business card and handed it to Zhang Bing, grabbing his hand, "Xiao Bing, what you said on the mountain was so right. We're all on the same path, so of course we should support each other! This is my personal phone number. You can find me anytime if you need anything. As your uncle, I will do my best to help you, hehe! Alright, it's almost time, let's go drink!"

Zhang Bing gripped Fang Yuanshan's hands tightly and shook them vigorously twice, "Hehe, then I thank Uncle Fang for his kindness!" Carefully putting the business card away in his inner pocket, Zhang Bing remembered something and quickly leaned over to whisper, "Minister Fang, Jiang Yan's identity is still top secret, so please don't mention it later!"

"Hmm!" Fang Yuanshan gave him a strange look and responded with a nasal sound.

Relaxed, Fang Yuanshan was unusually happy today, playing the dual roles of leader and elder. He displayed both the approachable manner of a leader and the earnestness of an elder. He knew that anyone at this table had earned the Jiang family's approval, or at least the approval of Zhang Bing and Jiang Yan, the young couple. This was the first step in integrating into the Jiang family circle, especially since he hadn't yet received formal approval and needed Jiang Yan's clear statement after the meal. Therefore, while he was exceptionally happy, he was also exceptionally cautious, constantly observing Jiang Yan's expression and carefully managing the atmosphere at the table, lest those around him feel intimidated by his leadership and disrupt the flow. Jiang Yan, however, paid no attention to any

of this. Her father had already given her permission to accept Fang Yuanshan back, so she naturally wouldn't interfere, especially since she had no interest in official matters. Of course, now that Fang Yuanshan had come to her, she didn't mind teasing him a little to vent her resentment over her perceived betrayal of the family. After several rounds of drinks, Jiang Yan had a more solid plan in mind. She winked at Zhang Bing, who smiled wryly, knowing he was destined to take the blame. He could only grin and fill Minister Fang's glass with wine.

"Uncle Fang, it's an honor that you've come all this way to visit Zhang Bing. As his friend, I feel extremely honored. So I propose that each of us toast you today, to make sure you leave satisfied and to show our sincerity! Come, I'll toast you with tea instead of wine, wishing you a bright future!" Actually, Jiang Yan was very afraid that Fang Yuanshan would refuse. If he refused, she would be helpless and unable to carry out her little scheme. That's why she had Zhang Bing take the blame and pour the wine, so that the two of them could make Fang Yuanshan refuse out of politeness.

Jiang Yan, being a complete outsider to officialdom, would never understand the cutthroat world and the sycophancy it entails. Her address of "Uncle Fang" completely put Fang Yuanshan at ease. Seeing Jiang Yan toast him, how could he refuse? In fact, he drank heartily, his face flushed as he stood up. "Miss Jiang's toast? I, Fang, dare not accept. This toast is for you, wishing you find a good husband soon, haha!"

Zhang Bing, watching from the side, secretly sighed. No matter who someone was or what their position, if it concerned him, he too would become flustered, losing his usual composure and wisdom. Jiang Yongnian, concerned for his daughter, had humiliated him with a stern rebuke. Today, Fang Yuanshan, overjoyed at regaining the Jiang family's approval, had lost his composure and calmness. He would accept toasts from others sitting down, but when Jiang Yan toasted him, he respectfully stood up to return the toast. The subtle difference was obvious to anyone with discerning eyes, yet he remained oblivious!

Chapter 79 The Old Party Secretary Was Beaten Again

Fang Yuanshan collapsed at the dinner table that very night and had to be carried back by Deng Chunguang and others. Zhang Bing, worried, had the esteemed minister taken to a hospital room for an injection—this thoughtful gesture was, of course, remembered by Fang Yuanshan after he woke up. At his age and position, he valued his health highly. Understanding Jiang Yan's thoughts, he had to get drunk last night to lessen the burden on his body.

The next day, when Fang Yuanshan left, Jiang Yan personally came to see him off. Fang Yuanshan was very satisfied, looking energetic and showing no signs of the effects of the previous night's drunkenness. Zhang Bing repeatedly instructed Deng Chunguang and the other two to ensure Minister Fang's safe return to the provincial capital before dragging his tired body back in a hurry, causing Jiang Yan beside him to frown.

As the saying goes, fortune and misfortune are intertwined! A few days ago, he was making a big splash in the provincial capital, and then he was almost killed in a car accident; yesterday, he established a good personal friendship with Minister Fang, and tonight he's down on his luck again. Ma Pei hadn't seen Zhang Bing for days and was incredibly longing for him. She was also jealous of Li Huan and Jiang Yan's constant presence here. Now that her chance had finally arrived, and believing herself to be the most likely candidate to become Zhang Bing's official girlfriend, she certainly wouldn't let it slip by. So, last night at the banquet, she deliberately drank a few extra glasses of wine, then feigned drunkenness to get Zhang Bing to accompany her out after the banquet. Unexpectedly, the alcohol combined with the cold winter night wind caused her to catch a cold and develop a high fever. Now she had even more reason to demand that Zhang Bing stay with her in the hospital room overnight.

"Of course, a girl needs her boyfriend to take care of her when she's sick! Otherwise, I'll be scared staying here alone! Brother Bing, okay?" Ma Pei said confidently, even winking defiantly at Li Huan and Jiang Yan.

Li Huan and Jiang Yan knew Ma Pei's intentions but had no intention of competing, nor any reason to. Zhang Bing himself felt somewhat guilty towards Ma Pei these past few days and felt that spending a night caring for her was no big deal. But another woman disagreed.

"I want my brother and daddy! I want to sleep with my brother and daddy!" Li Huan felt a pang of bitterness. She picked up Fei Fei and prepared to leave to go back to rest, but the little girl, who had been quiet all along, was unhappy! Although the little girl didn't understand the adults' words, seeing that her mother was going to sleep while Zhang Bing showed no sign of moving, she immediately struggled. These days, sleeping in her brother and daddy's arms was very comfortable and had become a habit for the little girl. She could sleep without Li Huan, but not without Zhang Bing.

The mother and daughter's arguments always ended with Fei Fei's victory. Firstly, Li Huan doted on this daughter who depended on her for support; secondly, four-year-old Fei Fei was precocious and exceptionally sensible, never making unreasonable demands on her mother. Especially after Zhang Bing arrived, Zhang Bing's affection for the little girl surpassed even Li Huan's, never letting Fei Fei suffer any grievances. Therefore, Fei Fei ultimately escaped her mother's embrace and jumped onto Zhang Bing's back.

Zhang Bing lovingly hugged the little girl, ignoring Ma Pei's resentful eyes, and said to Li Huan, "Sister Huan, you've had a long day, go back and rest first. I'll take Fei Fei over after she's asleep!"

"Alright then, I'll go make your medicine and bring it over. I guess the little girl will be asleep by then, hehe." Li Huan didn't refuse; in fact, she felt a little happy, even though she didn't dislike Ma Pei and had even acknowledged Ma Pei's status.

But things often don't go as planned. When Li Huan brought the medicine, the little girl was indeed asleep in Zhang Bing's arms, but before Li Huan even reached the door, Fei Fei woke up. The little one didn't say anything, struggled to climb down, and snuggled into Zhang Bing's arms, finding a comfortable position and falling asleep again. Li Huan was about to take her away again when Zhang Bing felt a pang of heartache. Fei Fei hadn't said anything, but her resentful and aggrieved eyes made her very uncomfortable.

"Sister Huan, let Feifei sleep here. I'll sleep here later. There are two beds in the ward anyway, Feifei and I can sleep in the other one!" Looking at the peaceful expression on the little girl's face, he felt that she was his daughter. The daughter that woman hadn't even been born into that world had caused him lifelong regret, but now he felt a blood connection with her again.

So, Zhang Bing was the one who was busy all night. The single bed in the ward wasn't very comfortable, and little Feifei slept very restlessly, making Zhang Bing worry all night, often having to stop her from rolling off the bed. Ma Pei, who didn't have any space to herself, felt resentful but couldn't argue with a child, so she took it out on the unfortunate Zhang Bing, constantly ordering her around and talking to her about this and that, refusing to sleep. Zhang Bing's internal organs were still injured and her body's resistance wasn't very good, so she woke up like this the next morning, which made everyone laugh.

"See? This is the benefit of having so many lovers!" Jiang Yan was somewhat indignant that Ma Pei didn't care about Zhang Bing's health. His body, still recovering, couldn't withstand such torment. Having been involved in many of her friend's affairs, she knew that Zhang Bing's recent recovery was squeezed out under pressure from the Municipal Bureau. He'd have a mountain of work to do when he got back, and without good health, given his work ethic, he'd be in big trouble.

Zhang Bing patted Jiang Yan's shoulder with a wry smile. "Alright, buddy, stop nagging me. Huan-jie already complained about me all morning, haha!" Then, remembering something, Zhang Bing frowned. "You're one to talk! Who said you'd find me a few more lovers?!"

Jiang Yan was stunned! She really had said that, just for fun, teasing Zhang Bing! Moreover, from talking to Xue'er on the phone these past two days, Jiang Yan had learned from Xue'er's hesitant words that Xue'er and Zhang Bing's relationship might have made a significant breakthrough, and this was all thanks to her! Seeing Zhang Bing pretend to tap her on the head, Jiang Yan quickly ran away with a grin, then ran back, giggling, and mysteriously approached Zhang Bing, "Dude, you're so charming! And don't you dare mistreat Xue'er!"

That's just Jiang Yan's personality; being with her makes you very happy! Zhang Bing really enjoyed playing around with Jiang Yan freely, something he couldn't do with other women. Just as he was about to tap that cute little head again, his phone rang.

"Look, speak of the devil, and he appears! Xue'er is calling." Zhang Bing said to Jiang Yan, who was grinning beside him.

"She's definitely going to scold you for not calling her for days, for not caring about her!" Jiang Yan rolled her eyes at him; she and Xue'er were best friends, so of course she sided with her.

Zhang Bing had nothing to say; arguing about this would only make things worse, so he could only let others say what they wanted.

"Zhang Bing, come back quickly! The old Party Secretary has been beaten up again!" As soon as the call connected, Xue'er's anxious voice came through.

"Huh?" Zhang Bing was stunned for a moment. What was going on in society these days? The old Party Secretary had been beaten twice in half a month. Was the security in Songshang Village really that bad?

"Xue'er, what happened? Don't panic, tell me slowly!" Zhang Bing waved for Jiang Yan to be quiet.

"I don't know the specifics! I've been accompanying the inspection team recently, and you're in the hospital, so all the village affairs have been handed over to the old Party Secretary. I heard that while doing family planning work in Baitang group, he got into a fight with an old man, and the two of them accidentally got into a tangle and fell down the slope in front of the house. The growth team leader of Baitang group just called me, and he's taking the old Party Secretary to the town hospital now. I'm too busy to leave right now, so you should come back and handle it." Xue'er had been through a lot before, and she was only a little anxious because she was worried about the old Party Secretary's health. Now that she had someone to rely on, she was able to explain things clearly.

"Oh, I see! Does the town know about this?" Zhang Bing felt that she needed to ask for more details to better formulate a solution.

“I called you first, they probably don’t know, right? I’d better ask you to come back and handle it. I don’t think it’s good to bother the town; it’ll make the town leaders think our Songshang Village cadres are incompetent!” Xue’er thought Zhang Bing wanted her to ask the town for help, so she voiced her concerns.

“Oh, okay, I’ll go back right away. Don’t worry, handling the reception of the inspection team is the most important thing; I’ll handle the rest!” Zhang Bing also felt he couldn’t just enjoy himself while the other two were working themselves to the bone.

“What? You’re going back? You’re not well yet!” Jiang Yan immediately objected. “Comrade Zhang Bing, health is the foundation of everything! Health is paramount!”

“The old Party Secretary was beaten up, what’s the point of having any health left!” Zhang Bing would swear when he was anxious, and he didn’t hold back in front of his friend Jiang Yan.

"You?" The girl's head snapped back, and she said angrily, "I'm going to find Sister Huan, see if you won't listen to her?"

But Li Huan didn't stop Zhang Bing. She smiled and explained to the angry Jiang Yan, "Jiang Yan, Xiao Bing is a stubborn person. He'll listen to me on small things, but he's never ambiguous on big things. Besides, I also think he should go back. Otherwise, if something happens in the village, the village chief might be hiding somewhere having fun. What will the villagers think?" Of course, to avoid worrying Zhang Bing's parents, they had been very careful to keep Zhang Bing's car accident a secret. Most villagers didn't know about it, and even after Zhang Bing's parents found out, their son made them keep quiet.

"Alright, things are urgent. Let's pack up and leave quickly! I probably won't be coming back here after this trip. There's a banquet tonight to send off Minister Fang and the others, and I'll definitely have a lot of things to deal with in the village tomorrow. Sister Huan, why don't you stay here for a few more days and take care of Hong Gang and Ma Pei? I'll go back alone?" Zhang Bing began to consider the arrangements.

"If you're not here, who can stay?" Li Huan rolled her eyes at the man and said irritably, "You should discuss Ma Pei's matter with her yourself. You should also ask Hong Gang what he thinks. I reckon he'll come with you. Anyway, he just needs to rest, and he can recover slowly when he gets back!"

Ma Pei is usually very obedient in front of Zhang Bing. Knowing that he had urgent business to attend to, she struggled to get out of bed and prepare to pack her things without saying a word. The complaints from everyone that morning had made her uneasy, and she also reflected that she might have gone a bit too far. Now was the time to make a good impression and win back her favor. Hong Gang was a former special forces soldier, and injuries were common for him. He was used to these kinds of injuries. If he hadn't been with Zhang Bing, he would have run away long ago. Now that Zhang Bing was leaving, he naturally followed without hesitation. Zhang Bing had already told him about going to the construction company, and had entrusted Deng Chunguang to handle the arrangements. He was now Zhang Bing's part-time bodyguard and driver.

Chapter 80 Forcibly Arresting a Pregnant Woman (Part 1)

The Jetta Zhang Bing was driving in the last car accident was completely totaled, so this time he was driving Li Huan's BMW. With six people in the car, it felt a bit cramped, but luckily the women in the back weren't very tall, so it was manageable. On the way, Zhang Bing called Huang Jiangang to ask him to come back. There had been a beating incident, and Zhang Bing was worried about the crowd getting agitated, so he thought it would be safer to call him along. After all, farmers feared the police more than village officials or even town officials.

"Brother Bing, just drop me off somewhere on your way to the county town. I'll take a taxi back myself. Your matter is urgent; I don't want to bother you!" Ma Pei said gently, considering Zhang Bing's feelings. This was what Zhang Bing admired most about Ma Pei: clever and good at pleasing people, playful and capricious in small matters, but clear-headed and prioritizing the big picture in important matters.

"Okay, then go back by yourself. Be careful on the road, and call me when you get home. Also, it's best to go to the hospital and get some cold medicine, so it doesn't get worse!" Zhang Bing was a little touched, so he gave her more instructions and even reached out to touch Ma Pei's hair apologetically. Then he turned to Hong Gang and said, "Hong Gang, keep an eye out for places with lots of taxis ahead and stop there. Let's flag one down for Xiao Pei!"

After seeing off the sweetly smiling Ma Pei, Zhang Bing turned to Li Huan and said, "Sister Huan, what about you? Are you coming with us to the scene?" He didn't need to ask Jiang Yan; that girl would definitely follow him. She was still holding the title of "Village Chief's Assistant," and Zhang Bing had been teased by the old Party Secretary and Xue'er several times for it.

“You take us home. If you don’t want to disturb the town officials, it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to go. I’ll go to the hospital to see Secretary Luo later and help take care of him.” Li Huan pondered for a moment, made up her mind, and then looked affectionately at her restless daughter nestled in Zhang Bing’s arms. “Feifei, why don’t you come home with Mommy? Your brother and daddy have things to do and don’t have time to take care of you!” Lately, Feifei had gotten into the habit of clinging to Zhang Bing, following him everywhere. Li Huan was both surprised and delighted to see this.

Fortunately, Feifei was quite sensible and obediently kissed Zhang Bing. “Brother and daddy, miss Feifei, okay? I want to see brother and daddy tomorrow!”

Zhang Bing quickly agreed. He also wanted to take the little girl to the banquet tonight. He and Li Huan exchanged a glance. “Sister Huan, let’s go to the banquet together tonight. Uncle Li will definitely be there too. Then you can have a father-daughter reunion, and Uncle Li can see his good granddaughter, hehe.”

"Okay, then I'll go home today. You can come with me! After all this commotion, you'd better have a serious talk with my dad and see how to handle this. After all, I'm not exactly politically astute." Li Huan always had Zhang Bing's best interests at heart, which was exactly the little scheme Zhang Bing had come up with.

"Hey, you two are all lovey-dovey, where are you going to leave me tonight?" Jiang Yan, standing nearby, was dissatisfied. It seemed Zhang Bing was becoming increasingly disloyal; he was going to go solo again tonight.

"You're my assistant, of course you'll come with me, hehe!" Zhang Bing chuckled as she looked at Jiang Yan, who was pouting, and suddenly flicked her head. "Let's go together. Tonight, let's visit Uncle Li, okay?"

A visit meant revealing her identity, and Jiang Yan was a little reluctant. But then she thought about it. Her friend listened to Li Huan, and she also thought that Li Huan was a very nice older sister. Maybe Li Huan already knew her identity. Moreover, making friends with a vice governor would be a good thing for her family. More importantly, this was a relationship that her friend valued highly. So, after a little hesitation, she nodded. "Sister Huan, I'll have to trouble you tonight." "

Upon arriving in town, Huang Jiangang, along with his men and Zhao Qian, the production team leader of Baitang group who had informed Xue'er, were already waiting at the town's intersection. Zhang Bing felt that driving Li Huan's BMW to his home was too conspicuous, so he planned to ride in Huang Jiangang's car. He also asked Huang Jiangang to bring four policemen, one in plainclothes and one in uniform. In rural areas, family planning often requires force, and the police can only deter but not physically harm the villagers, otherwise they would be reported for violating the law, a serious crime. However, in such situations, they have no choice but to have the plainclothes officers take action. They figured the villagers wouldn't recognize these people, so the reaction wouldn't be as strong. This is the practice of most rural cadres, something Zhang Bing had heard the old Party Secretary mention before. Ever since Li Huan said that rural work required a lot of force, Zhang Bing had deliberately consulted the old Party Secretary to avoid using the wrong methods.

Zhang Bing had Hong Gang drive, while he, Jiang Yan, and Huang Jiangang sat in the back, listening to Zhao Qian in the passenger seat report the details of what had happened."

It turns out that the target of this family planning campaign was a notorious holdout, Wu Laotie's wife, whom Xue'er had mentioned to Zhang Bing. Xue'er had been following Zhang Bing's advice, sending people to keep an eye on Wu Laotie's family. Even after the old Party Secretary took over, the work continued, but the pregnant woman remained hidden. Now, with the end of the year approaching, someone reported to the old Party Secretary last night that Wu's wife had secretly returned. The old Party Secretary was worried and specifically called Zhao Qian to verify. This morning, he led a group straight to Wu Laotie's house. However, the old Party Secretary was getting old and had many concerns. He wanted to persuade people with kindness and didn't want to strain relations with the villagers. As a result, he got into a confrontation with Wu Laotie's elderly father on the threshing ground in front of the house. The old man was old-fashioned and desperately wanted a grandson. He insisted on having a boy, and now, despite almost going bankrupt, he only had four sons. Naturally, he was unwilling to accept this and threatened his son and daughter-in-law with his life, demanding they try again. Seeing Secretary Luo arrive with his men, he quickly told his son and wife to run away while he went out to confront the old secretary and buy time. However, the old man became increasingly agitated and started berating the old secretary, accusing him of forgetting the villagers and committing many misdeeds. The old secretary, equally agitated, argued back. Both forgot they were on a small threshing ground with a steep slope below. The old secretary, who had initially yielded, was gradually forced back to the edge of the ground without realizing it. Just then, in a fit of rage, the old man shoved the old secretary, causing him to lose his footing and fall backward. In his panic, he grabbed the old man's clothes, and the two tumbled down the slope together.

"Luckily, there were many small trees and flowers upstream, otherwise, we would have been in trouble if we had rolled into the pond below!" Zhao Qian was still shaken. He had worked hard to get the position of village head, and having just tasted some success, he didn't want to lose it. He had retreated because he didn't want to offend the villagers, which led to the old secretary's injury.

"Regardless, you handled the aftermath quite well. Although letting the old Party Secretary rush to the front alone was a dereliction of duty, you promptly notified our village cadres and took the injured to the hospital. We should thank you for that!" Zhang Bing understood what these people were thinking, but at this moment, he couldn't criticize, only encourage. There were still many things that needed his help as the team leader to handle. If he shirked his responsibilities, it would be troublesome. "How is the old Party Secretary's injury? Oh, and what about Wu Laotie's father?"

"Fortunately, no one suffered any broken bones, just some scratches from the flowers and grass, nothing serious; also, the old Party Secretary sprained his ankle." Zhao Qian breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing the praise, but still spoke cautiously. Zhang Bing hadn't been the village head for long and had been busy with projects outside, so he hadn't had much contact with him, but he'd heard that Zhang Bing was very capable. When Huang Jiangang came to call him earlier, he was quite startled, thinking the police station was going to arrest him and hold him accountable. Later, seeing that the police chief listened to Zhang Bing, he became even more afraid, fearing that Zhang Bing would retaliate. Now, it was finally over.

It's good that he's alright! Zhang Bing breathed a sigh of relief. He was genuinely worried that the old Party Secretary, who cared so much for him, would be injured again! Now, all that was left was to get Wu Laotie's wife sterilized; otherwise, the news had already spread among the villagers, making future family planning work difficult.

"Here's what we'll do, Captain Zhao. When you get to the village, find a motorcycle and go check on Wu Laotie. If his wife is still there, secretly call me and keep an eye on her. We'll be right there; we must get her sterilized today!"

"Okay! Village Chief Zhang, should I call a few more young men? Wu Laotie is quite strong; I'm afraid even two of them won't be able to subdue him!" Having witnessed Zhang Bing's power, Zhao Qian immediately decided to side with him. Now was the time to flatter him, and he was quite adept at it.

"No need, I'll get people from the group near the village office. I'm afraid if I ask the young people from your group, word will leak out and that woman will run away." This kind of thing happens often in rural areas: village officials arrest people, villagers inform on them, and people from both sides help each other. There's no particular reason; it just depends on luck at the time. Most farmers are simple and honest; they are docile, obedient, and compassionate.

After receiving confirmation from Zhao Qian over the phone, Zhang Bing immediately drove the police officer and the five young men he had temporarily called in towards Baitang Group. To prevent the pregnant woman from escaping again, Zhang Bing discussed the matter with Huang Jiangang. They left a policeman and a villager at the entrance to Baitang Village, prohibiting any pregnant woman from leaving and any transport vehicles from entering or leaving without orders. When they reached the road where Wu Laotie lived, Zhao Qian was anxiously waiting at the intersection. Seeing Zhang Bing come down, he quickly ran over. "Village Chief," he said, "Wu Laotie's house is on the mountainside. There's one road here and another over there. I suggest sending two people to flank him from the other side and meet him at his doorstep. There's a mountain behind his house, and no roads leading up either side, so they'll have nowhere to run." He looked at Zhang Bing eagerly, wanting to claim credit for this favor.

Zhang Bing noticed his expression. Of course, he was willing to do such a favor. Without the cooperation of the team leaders, it would be difficult for him, as the village chief, to carry out his work. Now that someone was professing loyalty, how could he refuse? "Alright, take two men with you. Be quick. Reach their doorstep simultaneously in 10 minutes. Don't let any pregnant woman escape. You must catch her!"

Chapter 81: Forcibly Arresting a Pregnant Woman (Part 2)

Zhang Bing gave Zhao Qian and the two randomly selected men a sharp look. One of them was a police officer, which made the men tremble. He then waved his hand and said, "Go!" Zhang Bing knew that managing subordinates required a combination of kindness and severity. He had just praised Zhao Qian, so now he had to scare him. Having been in a management position for a long time, and having recently been in contact with some provincial and ministerial officials, he could still exert some influence when he deliberately acted authoritative.

However, Zhang Bing underestimated the villagers' sympathy and audacity. When they were about 100 meters from Wu Laotie's house, they encountered a middle-aged woman coming out of a nearby house. Seeing a large group of people and a police officer, she immediately took off running, shouting, "Wu Laotie, Guihua, run! The tubal ligation team is coming!"

As soon as Zhang Bing saw the middle-aged woman running, he knew things were bad. He roared, "Run! Quickly rush in and catch the pregnant woman! A reward of two hundred yuan for whoever catches her!"

These villagers, temporarily cooperating with family planning, usually worked for free. A day's work in the countryside only paid 30 yuan, so 200 yuan was equivalent to a week's work. Naturally, the villagers were very motivated, ignoring the insults, and sprinted with all their might. The policeman Huang Jiangang brought was his confidant, and he was even more intimidated, given the strict orders to cooperate with Zhang Bing. Moreover, the police chief himself was leading the charge. Seeing this momentum, the quick-witted villagers knew their chance to make a contribution had arrived, and they all took off running, ignoring the shouting woman, only wanting to rush into Wu Laotie's house as fast as possible.

They reached the door, panting, and Zhao Qian and his men also ran over. Zhang Bing vaguely heard chaotic voices and the sound of things clattering inside. He pushed the door; it was closed from the inside. Zhang Bing frowned, about to speak, when Zhao Qian, seeing Zhang Bing's expression, quickly said, "Village Chief, they're definitely home! I saw it with my own eyes!"

"Hmm, quick, call the door! If no one opens it after three calls, we'll break it down!" Zhang Bing considered for a moment and gave the order directly.

Wu Laotie was clearly prepared to fight to the death. Zhao Qian's shouts went unanswered, attracting a large crowd of villagers who had come to watch. Zhang Bing, disregarding whether this constituted trespassing, directly ordered two of the stronger policemen, "Break down the door!"

Wu Laotie had been impoverished for years, struggling to have a son. His house was a single-story dwelling with a simple wooden door and a wooden latch. The two policemen were experienced; this wasn't their first time. They kicked the door open with a bang. Zhang Bing calmly ordered, "One person stay at the door. Two people search from the eaves to the back of the house. The rest of you search inside. Don't take anything, don't ransack the place. We just want to catch someone! Move out!"

The men rushed inside. Rural houses are generally quite large... With the leaders having given their orders, everyone was naturally quite civilized and didn't dare to ransack or damage anything. They simply scurried to any place where they could hide. Before long, they pulled out Wu Laotie's mother from behind a cabinet. The old lady trembled with fear when she saw the police, and cried out as soon as she was caught. Zhang Bing was worried when a team member shouted from behind, "Village Chief Zhang, there's a staircase behind the house. They might have escaped from the back mountain!"

By this time, the house had been searched, but the pregnant woman hadn't been found. Zhang Bing immediately led everyone to the back of the house, and there they found a staircase leaning against the rock face of the back mountain. A piece of wood had been attached to the bottom of the ladder to extend its height, just enough to reach the hillside. Zhang Bing glanced at everyone, seeing only silent shakes of their heads indicating they hadn't found anything else, and knew this was the only direction. He led the way up, yelling, "Come on up, let's chase!"

The back of the mountain was clearly the escape route Wu Laotie and his wife had taken. A fresh footprint was clearly visible in the waist-high weeds and branches. Zhang Bing, disregarding his expensive suit, led the charge. Luckily, Huang Jiangang grabbed him, gesturing for one of his men to lead the way. Zhao Qian, quick-witted, was the first to jump in, saying, "I know this place well, I'll lead!" The

group hurriedly followed the footprint—no, they should be running. Zhang Bing had already increased the reward to 500 yuan, urging everyone to run for their lives. Zhang Bing knew that if he didn't catch the pregnant woman today, he would never have another chance, and his reputation among the villagers would plummet. They would think he was incompetent; ten men and the police had been mobilized and they still couldn't catch a pregnant woman. The harsh words would drown him. Right now, many villagers were already there, laughing and making sarcastic remarks.

"Bing Ya Zi, you led so many people into the mountains to capture a pregnant woman, aren't you afraid Old Man Wu will come back and fight you to the death?" That was still the mildest thing to say.

"Zhang Da Xue, you're not even married yet, doing something like this that will result in your son being born without an anus, aren't you afraid of retribution?" That was a bit harsher.

"A college student serving the people, huh! You're the village chief, but you're nowhere to be seen all day, just hanging out with pretty women, and now the Japanese are coming into the village to capture people,

you're a real menace, we were blind back then!" That was incredibly sarcastic, probably with a hint of jealousy in it. "Zhang Da Xue, if the people who gave birth to you were as heartless as you, you would have been a pile of dung, and you'd still be so arrogant in front of us. Be careful, your parents will fall ill and suffer retribution when you get home!" That was the most vicious thing to say, and Huang Jiangang even had the urge to turn around and teach them a lesson, but Zhang Bing held him back.

The villagers initially thought the police were present and dared not say much, but once someone started, onlookers joined in the commotion. In rural areas, people believe in the principle of "the law doesn't punish the masses," so soon everyone was in an uproar, mostly speaking ill of Zhang Bing. Some even blamed Zhang Bing for the old Party Secretary's injury, saying he was working so hard to atone for his sins.

Zhang Bing ignored the gossip; he had only one thought: forward, forward, until he caught the pregnant woman! He kept urging his men forward, running recklessly. His hands and neck were covered in cuts from branches and weeds, bleeding profusely. His expensive suit was now a flimsy, cheap imitation, but he paid no heed. Several times, if Huang Jiangang hadn't been watching over him, he would have tripped over a hidden vine and fallen flat on his face, but he was still met with laughter from the villagers and children following behind.

"Village Chief, Wu Laotie and his wife are up ahead! I see them!" Zhao Qian, a true farmer, was very experienced on mountain paths and ran faster than the other young men through the weeds. He quickly reported the good news to Zhang Bing.

"Wu Laotie, you little brat, where do you think you're going? If you keep running, I'll have you arrested and locked up in the police station for a few days!" Zhao Qian shouted at the figures ahead, sprinting forward with all his might.

The figures ahead ran even faster upon hearing the shout, but the pregnant woman was clearly exhausted after running a long distance. With the pressure from the pursuers behind, the woman accidentally twisted her ankle and fell to the ground. Taking advantage of this moment, Zhang Bing suddenly led his men to them. Without saying a word, he directed three men to pull Wu Laotie, who was warily protecting his wife, away and pin him to the ground. Then, he had several men lift up Wu's panting wife and run.

"Zhang Bing, you bastard, you've done this wicked thing! You're going to make my Wu family line die out! You'll die a horrible death!" Wu Laotie, held tightly by three plainclothes police officers, couldn't break free and could only howl. "And you, you beast Zhao Qian, helping outsiders bully our fellow villagers! You're no better than a dog captain! I curse you to be hit by a car and die!"

"Zhang Bing, Zhao Qian, you two bastards, I—" The words grew increasingly offensive. Zhao Qian was furious, but seeing Zhang Bing ignoring him and focused on getting on their way, he didn't dare say anything.

The group ran to the parking area and helped the pregnant woman into the police car. Zhang Bing's tense nerves finally relaxed. He was terrified something bad would happen; television often reported conflicts arising from public dissatisfaction with government enforcement. Seeing the villagers' anger, he was afraid they might act impulsively and block their way, which would be a real problem. Now that the mission was successfully completed without incident, and the onlookers hadn't followed, it seemed everything was fine.

"Look at you! You look like you've been in a fight! Your clothes are a beggar's!" Jiang Yan complained when she saw him relax. She hadn't gone up the mountain and had been waiting, so she didn't know how hard Zhang Bing and the others had worked. But seeing how tense everyone looked, she had obediently followed along without asking any questions.

"Hehe!" Zhang Bing chuckled, ignoring Jiang Yan, and pulled out a wad of cash from his wallet. "Everyone worked hard. Here's the deal: Captain Zhao caught the man, so he gets a 200 yuan reward. Everyone else gets 50 yuan for their help! Come and collect it now! As for the police, I'll discuss it with your Chief Huang when I get back, and we'll decide on the rewards then." Zhang Bing winked at Huang Jiangang and began handing out money to the villagers.

The young men who had helped were quite happy. They were getting paid for their help, which was supposed to be free. This village chief was good; generous! They happily praised the village chief! Especially for Zhao Qian, 200 yuan was nothing, but when Zhang Bing handed him the money, he patted him hard on the shoulder and said that he had good work ability, which made him very excited and he knew that he had been valued by his superiors!

"Alright, thank you all for your hard work today. Now go home. If you have time later, you can come to the village office to chat with me, hehe!" Zhang Bing bowed to the young man he had temporarily invited and thanked him. "I, Zhang Bing, have only recently become the village chief, and I need everyone's support and understanding. Like what happened today, it's not that I'm heartless, but that I had to implement national policies. So I hope you can spread the word when you get back and let the villagers understand me, Zhang Bing! I swear to you all, I am not heartless, and I will never do anything to harm the interests of all the villagers of Songshang Village!"

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[Adult City] Lonely Officialdom (Final Episode) - Episode 13

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