Urban Crisis [Complete] - 22

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

Chapter 56 New Pets, Escape from the Silent Jar, Old Acquaintances, and a Heart Full of Suspicion

. The autumn wind dyed the leaves red.

The small garden of Anling Prison was ablaze with vibrant colors.

Jiao Pengyuan's exercise time was no longer restricted; from morning to night, he
could stay in the garden as long as he wanted.

The autumn wind brought him new joy, not only from the pleasing sight of the red leaves surpassing even the flowers of February, but also from a group of new
companions. They were crickets hopping and chirping in the grass and corners.

He first saw them at midnight, the crisp chirping coming from the cracks in his bedding,
rising and falling, melodious and pleasant.

He thought this heavenly sound came from a dream, from heaven, until a cricket jumped onto his forehead, coughed,
and quickly jumped away. He then realized that the crickets were in the same place as him—Anling Prison.

Jiao Pengyuan lay motionless on his bedding, afraid of disturbing the crickets' mating game.

Perhaps they had come to visit the silent prisoner, or perhaps they had come to explore new spaces. Jiao Pengyuan couldn't help but
feel

a pang of melancholy. Lao Tzu's words were indeed true: "One begets two, two begets three, three begets all things, even autumn insects spring forth in their season." Only he himself was withering away in his prison cell. Before the autumn wind swept away the fallen leaves, it painted them with a layer of crimson,
displaying their final glory; but it didn't give him a chance for the rest of his life, only turning his hair white.

Listening to the joyful chirping of the autumn insects, Jiao Pengyuan felt his soul slowly ascending in the silent night.

What exactly was the "one" that Lao Tzu spoke of? Was it the ultimate truth or the primordial force that created all things? If it was
the primordial force , why couldn't one directly give birth to all things, but instead go through the process of one begetting two, two begetting three, and finally, three
giving birth to all things?

What is two, and what is three?

Perhaps the Chinese ancestors understood from the beginning that the world was diverse; one could not give birth to all things alone. Two must first beget two,
two then beget three, and only then could three bear the responsibility of giving birth to all things. One is a straight line, two has already developed into a plane, and
three enters a three-dimensional space. After three gives birth to all things, the world becomes a boundless state of diversity and multidimensionality.

Amidst the chirping of autumn insects in the long, silent night, Jiao Pengyuan felt his body and mind enter a profound universe.
He deeply realized how naive his previous one-dimensional leadership style had been. Beyond the seemingly powerful and
absolute authority of his superiors, the
fundamental principles of the universe—man follows the earth, the earth follows heaven, there is no law, and the law follows nature—were at play.

He smiled self-deprecatingly. If he hadn't been imprisoned, if he hadn't been stripped of all power, how could he have
suddenly enlightened?

He felt gratitude and awe for the autumn insects hopping around in his cell, finding their few chirps
more philosophically enlightening than any classic text he had ever read.

At dawn, red leaves swayed at the cell window. Jiao Pengyuan stepped out of his cell and began practicing Tai Chi in the breeze. The despondency he had
felt since entering prison

The armed police officers guarding him had become quite familiar with Jiao Pengyuan, and even held this
veteran cadre who upheld prison rules in high regard. An eighteen or nineteen-year-old armed police officer stood on the platform of the narrow passage and said,

"Old Jiao, are you reciting poetry?"

Jiao Pengyuan didn't stop his movements.

"It's not poetry, it's from the *I Ching*. Have you read the *I Ching*?"

"Which two characters?"

"The character '易' (Yi) has '日' (sun) on top and '月' (moon) on the bottom. The alternation of sun and moon is '易'. '经' (Jing) means 'reciting

scriptures.'" The officer traced the characters on his palm with his finger, then stopped and said,

"Old Jiao, '日' (sun) on top and '月' (moon) on the bottom, there isn't such a character, is there? Add a horizontal stroke to the character '月' (moon), and it becomes '
冒' (adventure)."

Jiao Pengyuan laughed.

"The '月' (moon) below the '日' (sun) is a modified form. So you understand now, it's '易' (easy)."

The officer also laughed.

“You said the ‘easy’ character earlier, I’d already understood. Everyone knows that character. So, I understand, the ‘
I Ching is an easy-to-recite scripture, right?”

Jiao Pengyuan laughed so hard he couldn’t continue practicing.

“You, kid, what’s your education level?”

“High school.”

“You haven’t even heard of the ‘I Ching’ in high school? Kid, you wasted your high school education. Understanding the ‘I Ching’
isn’t so easy.”

The soldier looked around and whispered,

“Old Jiao, don’t call me ‘kid,’ it’s against prison rules. If you need anything, you have to say ‘Report, government’ as required.
Calling me will get you in trouble.”

Jiao Pengyuan smiled helplessly.

“Okay, then I’ll report to the government. Can you find me an old enamel mug? Broken, leaky,
it doesn’t matter .”

“What will you use it for?”

“To raise crickets. There are plenty of crickets in this yard, they’re not afraid of people. Anyway, I have nothing else to do.”

“You’re so old, can you catch crickets?”

“I’ll try. As the saying goes, ‘Heaven's movement is ever vigorous; so should a gentleman constantly strive for self-improvement.’ ”

“Let me look. ”

Soon, the soldier found an old white enamel mug with a red “Award” printed on it .

“Old Jiao, it’s too dirty, is it alright?”

“Yes, yes, that’s great. I’ll make a home for the

crickets.” Jiao Pengyuan took the mug from the soldier and returned to the wind tunnel. He first filled the mug with some soil, then used a
stone to compact it. The soldier watched him with great interest.

Jiao Pengyuan seemed to have returned to his childhood. He listened here, poked at there. Several crickets
escaped the moment he pounced, making the soldier laugh incessantly. Another soldier came over to watch
the prison spectacle of the old cadre catching crickets.

In less than half an hour, Jiao Pengyuan had caught three crickets with his hands. Although he had fallen four or five
times and was covered in mud, he was still very excited, his eyes sparkling.

"Old Jiao, you're really something,"

Jiao Pengyuan said proudly, putting the three crickets into the vegetable jar, covering it,

"Three little crickets have managed to make this old man dizzy; they're something else. I'm
sweating."

"Be careful, don't catch a cold,"

Jiao Pengyuan said, pulling up a foxtail grass. He removed the head and outer skin, leaving only a thin, tender stem. He carried
the enamel mug into his cell. He placed the vegetable jar next to the toilet.

He planned to keep them cooped up for a few hours until they were familiar with and accepted their new environment, then they could be his entertainment. This
thought had barely crossed his mind when Jiao Pengyuan felt a pang of sadness. Was he perhaps just another cricket in the covered mug that he could only watch?
Where are the crickets? Yes, I've become familiar with and accepted this new environment.

After lunch and a nap, the first thing he did upon waking was to pick up the tea jar and listen to it. There was no sound
inside .

He gently opened the lid.

Three crickets each occupied their own territory, seemingly dividing up the darkness. Although the lid was
open , they seemed to have no desire to jump out and escape, lying motionless.

"Alright, let's have a meeting now. Who wants to speak first?"

The three crickets remained motionless, none of them flapping their wings to speak. Jiao Pengyuan inserted a thin stem and gently
touched the antennae of the smallest cricket. It suddenly jumped out of the tea jar and disappeared in a few hops.

"You still can't stand the loneliness."

The remaining two, one fat and one sturdy. Though not top-quality, they were better than nothing. Jiao Pengyuan named the fat
one Number One and the sturdy one Number Two. He touched the mandibles of the two crickets with the thin stem; both had mandibles.
They belonged to the fighting breed. He used a thin stem to herd the two together and flicked their long antennae. Both spread
their wings and chirped a few times.

He knew the show was about to begin. He anticipated that either number one or number two, or number two or number one, would
attack .

He used the thin stem to nudge number one's mandibles, then number two's, and the two crickets assumed an attack stance.
After waiting for more than ten minutes, number one and number two not only didn't fight, but instead turned around and retreated.

Jiao Pengyuan was disappointed by the peaceful coexistence of number one and number two. At this moment, two armed police officers entered the room.

"Jiao Pengyuan, we've changed your number. There's a bed, a table, and a sofa."

One of the officers glanced into the teacup and said,

"You still fight crickets?"

"No. They coexist peacefully, as if they've reached some kind of agreement, merely chirping a few times at each other." In the passageway, Jiao Pengyuan ,

holding a teacup in both hands, suddenly stopped. He immediately recognized the two armed police officers escorting
him as his son, Jiao Dongfang!

One of the officers tried to block Jiao Pengyuan's view with his body, and Jiao Pengyuan angrily shouted,

"Get out of the way!"

The officer instinctively moved aside.

Seeing his son's shaved head, he felt a pang of sorrow and tears welled up in his eyes. Whether his son was good or bad, kind or evil, he
no longer felt it mattered; he only knew that he was his son, his own flesh and blood!

Jiao Dongfang also wanted to stop, but was pushed aside by the armed police and continued walking. As he brushed past his father, he
softly called out, "Dad."

A long-unheard call of "Dad" sent a jolt through Jiao Pengyuan's body, as if he'd been electrocuted, and the teacup he was
holding fell to the ground. Two crickets calmly hopped onto the tunnel and disappeared into the grass.

Jiao Dongfang was led into a room. He sat on a stool in the middle. An armed policeman walked up to him and used
a key to remove his handcuffs.

He recognized familiar faces behind the long table: Zhou Senlin, Chen Hu, Jiao Xiaoyu, and Tao Tieliang. To his slight
surprise, he noticed that Tao Tieliang's uniform bore the epaulettes of a first-class police superintendent.

"Xiaoyu, hello, it's been a long time." He nodded to his sister.

Tao Tieliang's throat tightened. The criminal sitting on the stool was the person he was to meet today using the coded message,
the murderer who took Lingling's life.

Could the deep-seated hatred from the past allow Jiao Dongfang to build trust with him?
What if he thought it was a trap and turned around to accuse him?

When did Wang Zhongwang agree with Jiao Dongfang to use cigarettes as a code—before
or after Jiao Dongfang's arrest? Did Jiao Dongfang know the name of the person he was meeting with beforehand? What

if I gave him a cigarette containing a hidden developing agent, and he didn't know there was something inside, but felt
something was wrong and exposed the contents on the spot?

Tao Tieliang, as the presiding interrogator, remained silent for a long time in the face of the prisoner, without arousing anyone's suspicion.
This was a common tactic, using silence to put psychological pressure on the prisoner.

"Jiao Dongfang, we meet again." Tao Tieliang's tone was not harsh. "You still have many questions
you haven't answered, some you've answered partially but not completely. Although you have many connections in various aspects, given your
current situation, you shouldn't continue to have any illusions. How are you?" "Since you were imprisoned, have you gained any
new insights ? Have you gained any new understanding of your situation?"

Jiao Dongfang smiled slightly and said sarcastically,

"I have gained some new insights. For example, I noticed that you've already been promoted to First-Class Police Inspector. That
means you're at the bureau level now. You should thank the prisoners you arrested; they created
an opportunity for you to earn merit and get promoted. I remember when I first met you, you were still catching thieves on the street. The world has truly
changed . To be frank, now that you've become a First-Class Police Inspector, isn't it like 'When there are no great generals in Western Shu, Liao Hua becomes the vanguard'?"

Tao Tieliang slammed his hand heavily on the table, knocking over a bottle of mineral water. "When there are no great generals in Western Shu, purification becomes
the vanguard " deeply wounded his pride. In his rage, he really didn't want to meet Jiao Dongfang using secret codes; he just wanted to let
this arrogant bastard rot in prison! He sneered,

"Even Liao Hua can take your life! What are you? Just a stray dog! A drowning dog!" Chen

Hu gently tugged at Tao Tieliang's sleeve, signaling him to calm down.

Jiao Xiaoyu hadn't expected her brother to be so arrogant. She touched the photo in her pocket, wondering if she should take it out.

Before coming to Anling Prison, Ji Tao agreed to have a copy of Jiao Dongfang's wedding photo taken to the prison.

Jiao Xiaoyu chose her favorite photo of Jiao Dongfang and Tian Congying side by side, looking into the distance, and Ji Tao also thought
it good.

He told Jiao Xiaoyu that he had contacted the prison authorities, and the photo would be allowed to be given to the inmate after being authenticated by the prison authorities.
Before leaving the Municipal Bureau Guesthouse, Jiao Xiao... Jiao Xiaoyu told Zhou Senlin, Chen Hu,
and Tao Tieliang about her plan to send Jiao Dongfang the wedding photos.

Chen Hu said that when Jiao Dongfang was arrested, he was allowed to have the photos developed and sent to him.

Tao Tieliang and Zhou Senlin did not object.

After arriving at Anling Prison, Jiao Xiaoyu handed the photos to the prison administration for examination. Finding no
problems , the prison returned the photos to Jiao Xiaoyu, agreeing that she could personally deliver them to Jiao Dongfang. Faced with Jiao Dongfang's hostile attitude, Jiao Xiaoyu
felt her good intentions had been wasted.

To ease the tense atmosphere of the interrogation, Chen Hu calmly said:

"Jiao Dongfang, using words to attack others only reveals your weakness.
You know the seriousness of your crimes. You are still young, and your attitude is good; perhaps your crimes don't warrant the death penalty. You should cherish every opportunity to speak with him."
"This trial is your chance to redeem yourself through meritorious service. Listen carefully, I'm not talking about redeeming yourself; your crimes can
never be redeemed. Striving for a reduced sentence, striving to save your life, is the only thing you can do right now. What's the use of your arrogance?
Who are you putting on a show for? Let me tell you, there's no applause here, no one will cheer for you."

Chen Hu whispered to Tao Tieliang,

"We won't get anything out of him in this confrontational state. Should we give him the photos and try to appeal to his emotions first?"

Tao Tieliang nodded. Seeing that Jiao Dongfang was silent and not as aggressive as before, Chen Hu said gently,

"Jiao Dongfang, you're younger than me. I don't believe you'd willingly take a bullet. Don't forget, you
still have Tian Congying, and Xiao Tian is pregnant with your child. Don't you think about them, mother and child? They're innocent. If you
have any conscience, any humanity, you should bear some responsibility for them. This time, Xiao Yu brought your and
Tian Congying's wedding photos. We mean what we say." " I promised you when I arrested you that I would deliver the photo
to you. Give it to him."

Jiao Xiaoyu stood up, walked to Faru, and showed the photo to the bailiff. The bailiff had received
notification he was authorized to hand the photo over to Jiao Dongfang. The bailiff returned the photo to Jiao Xiaoyu.

"Dongfang," Jiao Xiaoyu handed the photo to Jiao Dongfang, "I didn't even want to give you the photo anymore. You're
still so resistant. Xiaotian is fine, don't worry. I only have one thing to say: it's time for you to repent."

Jiao Xiaoyu returned to her seat.

The hatred in Jiao Dongfang's eyes disappeared. At first, he doubted that this was real, and his eyes were filled with confusion. His
hand trembled as he took the photo, glanced at it, and tears welled up in his eyes. He murmured,

"Thank you... thank you..."

He looked at the photo again and again, his fingers gently tracing the image of Tian Congying on the photo.

"Can I have this photo?"

This was the only request Jiao Dongfang had made since entering prison. His tone was mournful and full of expectation.

Chen Hu looked at Zhou Senlin, then at Tao Tieliang.

"Yes, you can. Cherish it. " "Jiao Dongfang, can we get down to business now?"

Jiao Dongfang wiped away his tears and said,

"What do you want to ask? I'm willing to cooperate."

"Jiao Dongfang, did you, He Qizhang, and some others participate in
the smuggling ? This is a large-scale car smuggling case originating in Guangdong and involving our city. You played an
important role in it. Please give a truthful account of what you participated in and what you know."

While Chen Hu was speaking, Tao Tieliang took out a pack of American Wrigley's cigarettes, took out a white-filtered
cigarette, put it in his mouth, held it between the first joint of his right middle and index fingers, lit it twice with a match, took two deep drags,
and then extinguished it.

Not only did Zhou Senlin, Chen Hu, and Jiao Xiaoyu not notice Tao Tieliang's actions, but even Jiao Dongfang didn't
notice . It wasn't that he forgot the rendezvous signal, but that he simply didn't think of Tao Tieliang.

"Jiao Dongfang, did you hear my question clearly?" At this

moment, Tao Tieliang took out a pack of 555 cigarettes, pulled out a yellow-filtered cigarette,
held it between the first joints of his right middle and index fingers, lit it with a lighter, and puffed continuously. Jiao Dongfang's heart
suddenly tightened. Tao Tieliang's actions perfectly matched the code. He had been waiting for this person to appear,
but had always been disappointed. And now, this first-level police inspector in front of him, the man he had just mocked, was demonstrating
all the actions of the code, without missing a beat!

Jiao Dongfang couldn't accept this fact. Tao Tieliang's own sister, Tao Suling, died in a car accident he had orchestrated. Enemies
meeting each other are bound to be filled with hatred. He couldn't possibly be the person who came to make contact.

Was it just an unintentional coincidence? Jiao Dongfang asked himself silently. A person smoking two or even three kinds of cigarettes at the same time... It's possible he smoked a cigarette
, but it's highly unlikely he'd smoked a yellow-filtered one and then immediately a white-filtered one,
especially since he tried to light the yellow-filtered cigarette twice with a lighter but failed, only managing to light it on the first try with a match—that
doesn't seem like a coincidence.

So, is it a trap? Jiao Dongfang was filled with suspicion. A trap to extract information from those he couldn't interrogate? Yes, that's
highly possible.

No, that's not right either. A trap should be set for someone I can trust, not for Tao Tieliang, who killed my sister
.

It's true what they say, a few days in the cave feel like a thousand years in the world. The outside world changes too fast; my mind
can't keep up.

Whatever, I don't care who's in charge. I'm already in the noose; what am I afraid of? Whether it's
true or false, I'll just play it for fun.

"Jiao Dongfang," Tao Tieliang exhaled a smoke ring, "Have you figured it out?"

Jiao Dongfang said tearfully,

"Can I have a cigarette?"

Tao Tieliang took a cigarette from the Sanwu brand pack and beckoned the bailiff over. He
handed the cigarette to the bailiff, who then gave it to Jiao Dongfang and lit it with a lighter.

Jiao Dongfang took a deep drag.

Tao Tieliang drawled, "

Smoke slowly, don't choke on it."

Jiao Dongfang held the cigarette filter between the first joint of his right index and middle fingers, feeling something hard inside.
A thought flashed through his mind: what could be inside? A note? Poison? A small detonator? Whatever it was, he couldn't
finish the cigarette. He greedily took a few more drags, then feigned a cough. He put the cigarette in his mouth, his index
and middle fingers tracing the smoke slightly, knowing he could smoke at least half of it. To avoid attracting the interrogators'
attention , he coughed a few times and said,

"I generally don't interfere with the restaurant's car purchases. I only know that all the cars have official import documents. As for the car smuggling you
mentioned, I really can't provide any clues."

Tao Tieliang slammed the case file on the table down with a "bang." "

You're still resisting! Does his Honda Accord at the Pingxian Hotel have proper import documentation?"

Jiao Dongfang coughed again, stubbed out his cigarette on his shoe, and casually put the butt into his jacket pocket. The action
was very natural.

"Whether it has proper import documentation or not, you have records to check. Every vehicle has a file."

Chen Hu suddenly said,

"Jiao Dongfang, one of the US dollars you bribed Jiao Xiaoyu with was counterfeit. Where did the counterfeit dollars come from
?"

Jiao Dongfang was stunned. He had vaguely heard Jiang Yuexiu talk about counterfeit dollars before, but he
hadn't asked further, much less gotten involved. Could Jiang Yuexiu have committed a crime? Even if she had, her counterfeit dollars wouldn't have reached me.
When Yang Ke handed him the US dollars stolen from He Qizhang's safe, he didn't even look at them,
placing them with the other dollars without realizing they were counterfeit.

"Impossible. I've never handled counterfeit dollars. What's your purpose in framing me like this?"

Chen Hu didn't want to reveal that Yang Ke had stolen the counterfeit dollars from He Qizhang's safe. With that, Jiao Dongfang
easily shifted the blame onto He Qizhang. Chen Hu hoped to expand the leads on the counterfeit US dollars through Jiao Dongfang,
and said firmly,

"The evidence is conclusive; you can't deny it. Bank technical analysis confirms it's a counterfeit US dollar bill, a counterfeit one-hundred
-dollar bill. You personally handed this counterfeit bill to Jiao Xiaoyu. If you can't explain
the source of this counterfeit dollar bill, you'll bear the responsibility."

"Counterfeit money is widespread in the market. Are you going to hold everyone who has counterfeit money responsible?"

"You don't have just one or two counterfeit bills; it's a large sum. Where did this large sum of counterfeit US dollars come from?
You must explain its origin!"

"I don't know, I don't know. The restaurant has a US dollar exchange service; it could have been the foreigners. The restaurant is
the victim. Are you going to hold the victim responsible?"

Chen Hu pulled a photo of Wu Aikun from the file, left his seat, walked around the table to Jiao Dongfang's side, and pointed at
the photo saying,

"You're familiar with this woman, aren't you?"

"Let me take a closer look."

Jiao Dongfang looked at the photo and was secretly shocked. Could Wu Aikun also be involved? If something happened to her,
the whole operation would be wiped out. " No, no, no one can touch her."

"I don't know this woman. Is she a movie star? She's very beautiful."

"She knows you, how could you not know her?" Chen Hu deliberately tried to bluff.

"Too many people know me. If this lady were a movie star, she might have stayed at my hotel. But
I really can't remember her. If I had seen her, such a beautiful lady should have left a deep
impression on me. I'm sorry, I'm not that lucky, I don't know her. Mr. Chen, would you be willing to introduce her to us?"

Chen Hu took back the photo and said,

"Jiao Dongfang, your attitude is very dishonest. The evidence is conclusive, yet you deny it. This kind of bad attitude
is very detrimental to you."

Chen Hu returned to his seat.

Tao Tieliang went to the case file and said,

"Jiao Dongfang, we asked you three questions today, and you didn't answer truthfully. You're very smart, but we're
smarter than you. Go down and write down all the unspeakable secrets you know. We
'll come back to you. Take her away."

The armed police officers handcuffed Jiao Dongfang and escorted her out. Jiao Dongfang turned around and looked at his sister affectionately.

Zhou Senlin placed a form in front of Tao Tieliang and said,

“Director Tao, please sign this form for interrogating prisoners. This column is for the prisoner’s name, this column is for the start time
of the interrogation , and this column is for the end time of the interrogation. This column is for the presiding interrogator’s signature. Xiaoyu and Chen Hu, please sign here
.”

Tao Tieliang filled out the form as required and then signed it. Chen Hu and Jiao Xiaoyu also signed. Finally, Zhou Senlin also signed
.

Zhou Senlin put the form away and said,

“Today you have to leave empty-handed. Next time, be better prepared. Jiao Dongfang is like a dead pig that doesn’t fear
boiling water.”

Chen Hu scratched his scar and said,

“When Jiao Dongfang
saw He was moved by the wedding photo and even shed tears, indicating his willingness to cooperate. How did he suddenly become so tough again?”

Tao Tieliang knew in his heart that his coded message had given Jiao Dongfang more courage to resist. He said,

"This kind of person is used to being fickle and unpredictable. Let's go."

Jiao Dongfang returned to his cell, number one in cell two.

The size and facilities there were no different from Jiao Pengyuan's cell, only one floor higher, on the second
floor. Although he wasn't a high-ranking official, he was also held in solitary confinement due to the seriousness of his case.

He had gone on a hunger strike once, demanding the right to read. After twelve hours ,
he received a response, being allowed to borrow books from the prison library.

On his bedding were two books he had borrowed from the library: one was *Lüshi Chunqiu*, and the other was
Nietzsche's *The Death of God* in English.

Actually, his English wasn't very good.

He used an English-Chinese dictionary to read English works purely to prevent his thinking and logical abilities from
declining due to solitary confinement.

In the prison library, he was surprised to find a
rich , some of which were newly released foreign titles.

Most of these books had been read, and some pages even had pencil markings. From a
casual learned that there was a translation team composed of foreign language professionals among the prisoners, whose
daily work was translating books designated by relevant departments for translation into Chinese.

He said to the librarian, "If I don't die, I'll be qualified to join the translation team, right? My
French is quite good. Do you pay them?"

Jiao Dongfang sat cross-legged on his cot and picked up *The Death of God*. He had a habit of reading books;
the sentries outside rarely peeked through the hole in the wooden door. It seemed the prison authorities trusted prisoners who were reading.

He placed his wedding photo between the pages of the book and gazed at it for a long time. (Author: Satoshi Arita) With Ying by his side, the prison cell didn't feel so bitter and unbearable.
He picked up the photo, letting the sunlight shine through it, but found nothing unusual. Yes, Xiaoyu wouldn't use
a photo to send me any messages. Even if the photo hadn't been checked by the prison authorities, Xiaoyu
wouldn't have done that. She even conspired with Chen Hu to trap me. Silly sister, now that our family is ruined,
what will you gain?

Jiao Dongfang glanced at the wooden door a few times, but didn't see any movement. He quietly took the cigarette butt out of his pocket,
placed it on the pages of his book, carefully peeled back the cigarette paper, and some tobacco fell out, revealing a small, three-
centimeter bottle containing a colorless, transparent liquid.

What is this? Poison? Or some kind of chemical reagent? He couldn't rule out poison; killing me to silence me
would be the only way for them to be truly safe.

My existence was, after all, a threat to their security. Would they dare? Killing me in prison
would quickly lead them to the truth through this liquid, but the risk was too great for them, and the cost too high.

Jiao Dongfang meticulously studied every detail of Tao Tieliang's cigarette delivery and every word he uttered, trying to find the answer.
The code he demonstrated perfectly matched the regulations; the small bottle proved he was there to meet with him.

His elder brother had said, "The person who contacts you in the future might be your former enemy. But as long as the code
is correct, you must trust him."

His elder brother's choice of Tao Tieliang to meet with him was likely to avoid suspicion due to the well-known blood feud over his sister's murder.

His elder brother must have made a deal with Tao Tieliang, promoting him to bureau-level in exchange for his obedience.
Yes, that must be it. The Public Security Bureau has many promising candidates; Tao Tieliang wouldn't be a first-level police supervisor.

A cold smile crept onto Jiao Dongfang's lips. It seemed he wasn't the worst person in the world. Tao Tieliang, for a change
of epaulets, even disregarded the blood feud over his sister's murder—what a beast! The magic chair of officialdom was truly boundless;
anyone who touched it, the moment they sat on it, quickly became a ghost. I am the most qualified to sit on the magic chair,
but I have always disdained it. I am really not bad, I am quite aloof!

It was truly brilliant of my elder brother to take Tao Tieliang under his command as a henchman! But the risk was also great. Tao Tieliang, a
nouveau riche from humble origins, is utterly untrustworthy and would betray him at any moment. He thought again, my elder brother wouldn't be
foolish enough to plot against Tao Tieliang face-to-face; he must be controlling him from afar. Tao Tieliang might not even know who my elder brother is. Jiao Dongfang
felt a pang of pity for Tao Tieliang, who had become someone else's lackey, yet didn't know who was throwing him the bone. What exactly is the small bottle my elder brother gave me for? Tao Tieliang's words echoed in his ears, " Write down truthfully all the unspeakable secrets and dealings

you know." Tao Tieliang's seemingly ordinary words must contain a hidden meaning. Could it be some kind of coded message, like an acrostic poem? "Don't tell anyone" means I shouldn't confess. The term "secret dealings" rarely appears in the mouths of interrogators. What is he trying to tell me by using the word "secret"? Is he telling me to keep it a secret? Is the emphasis on "write it down truthfully" or "write it down"? Suddenly, Jiao Dongfang's eyes lit up. This is a bottle of black writing solution! Why is my brain so slow? Jiao Dongfang remembered what his "big brother" had told him before his arrest: "I will arrange a black writing method to inform you of important information; consider it my instruction. There are two steps to black writing. First, I will use black writing solution to write the content on paper. After you apply black writing developer, the writing will appear... I will use a contact person to cleverly deliver the developer to you. By then, you may already be in prison." His "big brother" really did it! Jiao Dongfang picked up the photo and examined it closely. Today, besides this photo, he hadn't received anything . Could there be something in the photo? He held the photo up to the sunlight streaming in through the window and examined it carefully, but still found nothing wrong. Well, let's give it a try. The small plastic bottle had a sealing strip at the top. He tore it open, revealing a tiny pinhole. He smelled it; there was no odor. He flipped the photo over, squeezed out a few drops of the liquid, and applied it to the white background on the back. Instantly, lines of text appeared: "Uncle He insists that the second phase of the 6036 plan, the amount we are obligated to pay, will be transferred from your account. You are not allowed to mention any contact between you and Wu. This is a prerequisite for me to guarantee you will not be sentenced to death. Remember this. If show any signs of defection, you will die immediately in prison. Only when Wu is safe will your life be guaranteed. Turn the fire to Xiaoyu. Destroy the photo and the bottle." As soon as Jiao Dongfang finished reading, the writing faded and disappeared. Although the handwriting wasn't his elder brother's, the tone was unmistakably his —all commands, unquestionable, murderous, and a promise to keep. Destroy the photo? Jiao Dongfang hesitated. The writing on the photo had vanished completely; why destroy it ? He brought the back of the photo to his nose and smelled it; there was a faint chemical odor. "Let the wind blow it away, and the smell will be gone. " There's still a small half-bottle of developing solution left. If I destroy it, I won't have any more to use later. No, keeping it is too much trouble. I'll destroy it as "Big Brother" instructed. The solution can be poured into the toilet, but the plastic bottle won't be flushed away. What should I do? Let's try and see if the water can flush it away. Jiao Dongfang walked to the open toilet seat, using his back to block the view through the round hole in the wooden door. While urinating, he squeezed all the solution from the small bottle into the toilet, then threw the bottle in. Before he even pressed the flush button, he saw the bottle dissolve very quickly in the water. He then realized the bottle wasn't made of plastic; it was made of a special water-soluble material. He pressed the flush button, and the clean water washed away all traces. The toilet was very clean. Jiao Dongfang felt that apart from its material, function, and shape, it couldn't compare to the toilet at the Horizon Hotel, but in terms of cleanliness alone, it was superior. According to prison regulations, Jiao Dongfang had to scrub the toilet and sink inside and out every morning. He was also a germaphobe, always worried about the smell from an uncovered toilet, so he would wipe it again before going to bed. The prison authorities were very satisfied with this, praising him for his work ethic. He proudly said, "I have to thank my father for this. He made me do chores from a young age. When he was the county party secretary, he would have me accompany him to the fields to help the farmers every summer. Believe it or not, I, the restaurant president, have polished the doorman's shoes." No one believed him; a spoiled brat polishing shoes ? Nobody would believe it. Jiao Dongfang noticed a few water spots on the edge of the white ceramic toilet, unsure if they were urine or chemicals. He squatted down and wiped them clean with a clean, damp cloth. The sentry saw Jiao Dongfang wiping the toilet through the peephole in the wooden door but didn't come in to question him. They assumed that wiping toilets was Jiao Dongfang's peculiar hobby that distinguished him from other prisoners. An older policeman once remarked, "Just from the small thing like Jiao Dongfang cleaning the toilet twice a day, you can tell he's truly a talent for managing a restaurant. He doesn't skimp on the smallest details!" That night, Jiao Dongfang couldn't sleep. He pressed his wedding photo against his chest, seemingly feeling Tian Congying's warmth and heartbeat. He asked himself honestly, had he ever regretted it? No, never. Failure, imprisonment, trial, sentencing, even a death sentence—he believed he could accept it all calmly. He didn't consider himself a fatalist, attributing his life's misfortunes to fate. In this game, he believed he had given it his all; the only reason he failed was because his father's status...

He wasn't high-ranking enough, just a regional warlord, not one with absolute power; and this not-so-high position was completely destroyed by
his father 's carelessness. When the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact

—it's always been this way, no need to blame fate. He didn't believe the idea that his father's corruption caused this outcome; it
was just kindergarten rhetoric.

Jiao Dongfang attributed his father's failure to the inevitable result of power redistribution; a powerful regional warlord, threatening the central government,
even if honest, had to step down—that was the essence of the matter. Speaking of honesty, my dad was honest enough; the amount he embezzled
should be compared to the size of his power.

As a regional warlord, he received far less than he could possibly have received—doesn't that count as honesty?
As for being considerate of the people's suffering and maintaining the true nature of a Communist, who has gone to the grassroots more often than my dad? Which high-ranking
official's mansion would an ordinary person dare to enter?

Could they? It's my dad's house!

You want to publicly try him? Go ahead and try him; maybe you'll find a good cadre!

Jiao Dongfang lay on his cot, taking several deep breaths to calm his thoughts.

His own logic allowed him to accept reality, and he didn't consider himself a
hypocrite

He admitted that he and his father were losers, but he didn't believe they should bear the responsibility for their failure; he
placed all the blame and consequences on society. It was this reasoning that allowed him to accept reality's
verdict with a clear conscience.

The chirping of crickets came from outside the window.

He remembered the scene when he met his father in the tunnel, seeing the old man holding the teacup like a precious treasure.

He had already guessed that his father was also imprisoned in Anling Prison, but they would never have the chance to meet. He thanked heaven for its arrangement,
finally allowing him to see his long-lost father. The aged face, the gray hair, the faltering steps—it all broke his
heart .

At this moment, he once again experienced the meaning of deep father-son affection. Upon first meeting, he didn't know what was in the teacup his father
was holding .

As they brushed past each other, he heard a "whoosh" sound. Turning around, he saw two crickets scurrying away,
realizing his father was playing the game of raising crickets. His heart ached more than if pierced by arrows, and tears streamed down his face.

Father, Father, even the children don't play this cricket-fighting game anymore, and there's nowhere to catch them.
You, an elderly high-ranking official, are helplessly catching crickets within the high walls of prison—how could a person have fallen so low!

On the floor, the image of his father holding a teacup in both hands flashed before Jiao Dongfang's eyes, causing tears to silently roll down his cheeks again.
He knew that this scene of his father was deeply etched in his heart, and nothing could erase this enormous
wound except death.

The stern, cold figure of the man Jiao Dongfang called "Big Brother" replaced his aged father before him.

The cryptic writing, "If you show any signs of defection, you will die immediately in prison," was imprinted word by word on
his heart.

He didn't see this as an empty threat; he firmly believed that "Big Brother" had the means and the ability to make him
die without anyone noticing.

He was somewhat disappointed in "Big Brother," even doubting his loyalty. He never entertained the idea of exposing or reporting "
Big Brother ." His respect for "Big Brother" wasn't entirely due to admiration for his power—his rank wasn't even as high as
his father's; nor was it entirely due to admiration for his operational skills—he wasn't infallible either. His respect
stemmed more from his recognition of "Big Brother's" personal efforts; he wasn't bound by any ideology or values,
daring to use despicable means to achieve noble ends.

He most admired two sayings from "Big Brother." One was, "Value isn't reflected in the process, only
in the result. If too much value is injected into the process, then when the process is complete and the result is revealed, there wo
n't be much value left."

Jiao Dongfang considered "Big Brother

's" theory an outstanding achievement in applying abstract principles to sociology and political science. The other saying he admired
was, "The course of history is never insignificant."

Jiao Dongfang believed this viewpoint transcended the constraints of so-called truth and justice, and escaped
the misconception of moralizing history; it was true historical materialism. With this viewpoint, one dared to sacrifice local and temporary interests without hesitation
, dared to disregard the illusion of fairness and justice, and allowed society to move forward with real steps.

Jiao Dongfang believed that "Big Brother" might represent the ideals of a future generation of politicians, hence his
sincere admiration .

Before "Big Brother's" figure had disappeared, Wu Aikun's handsome face appeared. The coded
message, "Wu is safe, only then is your life guaranteed," sent a chill down Jiao Dongfang's spine.

He recalled the strange events he had shared with Wu Aikun.

Chapter Fifty-Seven: First Meeting, Private Jet, Handshake Again.

Jiao Dongfang stood near gate 16 on Bank Avenue, waiting for a private jet from the United States to land via Hong Kong.
He checked his watch; there were still eight minutes until the scheduled arrival time. What type of plane was it? How many crew members were on board? Would

loading six wooden crates onto the plane under everyone's watchful eyes cause any accidents? Jiao Dongfang was somewhat nervous, after all, this was his first delivery, the recipient was a stranger, and the delivery location was an airport—a heavily guarded and extremely sensitive place. The delivery location and method were all arranged by his "big brother," and the plane chose to land at an airport in a southern city. Jiao Dongfang first loaded the six wooden crates into two military-grade enclosed trucks sent by his "big brother." Departing from the Horizon Hotel, they traveled day and night for over seventy hours to reach the airport. Yang Ke and the soldiers escorted the trucks. At checkpoints, they were allowed to pass without inspection after showing proof of military supplies, and the journey was safe. Jiao Dongfang worried that the six wooden crates would encounter trouble at the airport; if opened, the more than three hundred national first-class cultural relics would be confiscated. Unexpectedly, they didn't even use the inspection-free lane, driving directly through a side gate onto the tarmac and loading onto an airport electric cart for transport. Jiao Dongfang wasn't worried that the criminal gang that stole and sold these cultural relics would implicate him if caught; after passing through three or four hands, no one knew he was the final recipient. His only worry was whether the person his "big brother" had assigned to receive the goods would transfer his rightful profits to his Swiss account . This was their first collaboration, and trust hadn't yet been established. Besides, the artifacts were worth over thirty-five million US dollars in Europe. His "big brother" wasn't at the airport; he was probably attending some important meeting thousands of miles away, but Jiao Dongfang...

He was convinced he knew every detail of the cargo handover at the airport. The cargo passed through without inspection;
it entered the tarmac through a side gate; he could even get the airport to clear a runway for a foreign VIP plane that wasn't on the scheduled landing list.
How vast was the reach of his power! Jiao Dongfang knew all this was beyond his control.

A silver plane landed on gate 16. Its fuselage looked shorter than a passenger plane, but its design was more
refined.

His cell phone rang in his jacket pocket. He opened the cover, and a woman's voice came through: "I'm landing on runway 16.
I see you. Please board."

Jiao Dongfang quickly walked to the plane, which was about fifty meters away. He saw the cabin door open, and a ladder truck pulled up
beside the plane, connecting to the door. He climbed the ladder, reached the cabin door, and entered the cabin.

A tall, blond-haired, blue-eyed man said to him in English, "Please wait a moment, Miss Wu will be out soon."

Inside the cabin were twelve large sofa chairs, six on each side, with an aisle in the middle.

"Sir, please follow me."

Jiao Dongfang followed the foreigner down the corridor, pushed open a door, and appeared a
luxurious , as if he were in a five-star hotel.

"Please have a seat. Miss Wu is in the cockpit; she'll be here soon."

Jiao Dongfang was stunned. He had flown countless times, usually in first class, and had even drunk in in-flight bars.
But this exquisite and sophisticated in-flight bar was a first for him.

The door opened, and before Jiao Dongfang stood
Wu Aikun . She was wearing a flight suit, but it couldn't hide her stunning beauty.

"Hello, Mr. Jiao, I'm Wu Aikun."

Jiao Dongfang asked in confusion,

"You fly the plane yourself?"

"Please have a seat. What's so strange about that? I got my pilot's license three years ago; I'm an experienced pilot."

"Wow! That's impressive. My big brother never mentioned you could fly a plane."

"Mr. Jiao, what would you like to drink? How about Louis XIII?"

"Thank you."

The foreigner took two glasses and poured wine into each one.

“Thank you, David. Hmm, he’s my bodyguard and co-pilot, David.”

Jiao Dongfang nodded to David. The foreigner quietly left the bar.

“Miss Wu, are there only two of you on board?”

“No. This is my private business jet. There’s a secretary in the office cabin. But they all know everything about
airplanes.”

“Wow!” Jiao Dongfang clapped his hands. “Another surprise! Your private jet?”

“Is it strange? Many American company owners have their own business jets. Mine is also registered in the US
. If you’re interested, I can show you around.”

“Thank you. I’m very interested.”

Wu Aikun stood up, walked to the bar, and pushed open a door.

“Please come in, this is my airborne office.”

Modern office equipment was everywhere; many instruments and devices Jiao Dongfang had never even seen before.
A foreign woman was operating a computer.

Wu Aikun pushed a wheelchair over.

"Please have a seat. My office equipment mainly utilizes a satellite communication system. I can
conduct business communications with anywhere in the world without leaving the plane."

"That's wonderful! That's wonderful!"

"Mr. Jiao, I believe that wealthy people in China will soon have their own private jets, and perhaps you will be the first
."

"Me? In my next life. Ms. Wu, you are truly amazing! Hmm, would you like to
explore this city? I'll take care of your needs."

"Thank you. We won't be leaving the port. I'll declare a one-hour stopover for refueling. We'll be flying away soon. Mr. Jiao,
did you bring the goods?"

"Yes, I brought them. Here's the catalog."

Jiao Dongfang took out a thick photo album from his briefcase and handed it to Wu Aikun.

"These are photos of the main goods, and the rest are a text catalog. Six boxes, each
over a meter tall . Can your plane hold them?"

"The lower deck of the plane is the cargo hold. No problem. Let's hurry."

"Okay. I'll make a call."

Jiao Dongfang used his mobile phone to notify Yang Ke to bring the electric cart over.

Yang Ke received a call and, along with two soldiers escorting the cargo and airport loading and unloading workers, drove an electric cart to the aircraft's cargo hold
. The cart driver loaded all six wooden crates into the open cargo door.

Jiao Dongfang, watching the loading and unloading process on the screen in his airborne office, exclaimed,
"Your office is truly all-seeing!"

He then saw Yang Ke, the soldiers, and the loading and unloading workers driving the electric cart away from the aircraft on the screen.

Wu Aikun extended her hand and said,

"Goodbye. Thank you, you must be tired from your journey."

"Miss Wu, I can report back to my brother now. Ah, these six boxes are priceless. Getting them out of here shouldn't be
a problem . Which country will you be entering? Will you encounter any trouble at customs?"

"That's not your concern. Just wait for the money to be deposited."

"Do you have any reply for my brother?"

"Thank you, no need. Goodbye. Mr. Jiao, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"It's even more gratifying to meet you. I'll get off the plane now."

Jiao Dongfang didn't leave the airport after getting off the plane until he saw Wu Aikun's plane take off into the blue sky, then he left
in amazement.

Could it be a case of smuggling cultural relics? Jiao Dongfang turned over on his makeshift bed, pondering deeply.

It's unlikely. The interrogation during the day didn't touch on this issue, meaning they didn't even have the most basic clues.

In less than two years, Jiao Dongfang was responsible for collecting, purchasing, selecting, and packaging them, while his "brother"
organized military and police vehicles for escort. Providing airports and secure passages, Wu Aikun smuggled three batches of first- and second-class
cultural relics , each time flawlessly.

In the second and third incidents, Wu Aikun's business jets landed at airports with prior applications and legitimate arrangements, receiving approval
from relevant departments . Because the passengers on both occasions were high-level American business delegations, they received high-
level receptions from the local government, thus arousing no suspicion.

Moreover, the three landings were at different airports. Jiao Dongfang firmly believed that the smuggling of these three batches of cultural relics would not be exposed.

Among the documents for the third batch of smuggled relics were six Buddha heads removed from an ancient temple. Jiao Dongfang had seen on television news that
the Buddha heads, after being lost overseas, were bought at a high price by a Chinese person and then returned to China. Jiao Dongfang discussed this with his "big brother."
The negative effects of this incident—whether it would lead to an investigation into how the Buddha head was lost—
were alleviated by the "elder brother's" insightful remarks.

"The Buddha head is back. Who will bother investigating? That's great! It's gone and back, so we feel more at ease taking our money.
Actually, there's nothing wrong with Chinese cultural relics going abroad. First, they protect them better than we do. Go to the British
Museum and see; their collection of Chinese artifacts is much better protected than ours. If these artifacts
hadn't , I think they would have been destroyed in China's war and chaos long ago. How many
cultural relics were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution? I think if they had been smuggled out of the country earlier, they wouldn't have suffered such a great calamity. Second, cultural relics going abroad can spread the light of
Chinese civilization. What's the point of keeping them at home? Cultural relics are meant to be seen. Smuggling cultural relics is actually
protecting them. People who are willing to spend millions or tens of millions to buy Chinese cultural relics, wouldn't they protect what they buy with extra care?
From the perspective of all mankind, cultural relics are the common property of mankind. Cultural relics can only show their value in circulation
. Dongfang, you don't need to be tormented by your conscience about this. In the end, we are doing a good thing."

If nothing had happened, why would Chen Hu have shown me Wu Aikun's photo and asked if I knew her? Perhaps Wu Aikun
committed a crime in the financial sector? It's possible, highly likely.

Antique smuggling is clandestine; if the risks are avoided at the time, it's difficult to get caught later. But finance is
different ; it's done in broad daylight. Even if things don't go wrong then, trouble is inevitable later. Could it be that the Bank
Avenue project gave Wu Aikun some leverage?

The municipal government decided to build a Bank Avenue in a prime location, constructing
rows of interconnected, uniquely styled bank buildings along one side of the five-mile-long street. The goal was to concentrate branches of all major banks and foreign banks
there, forming a financial center centered around Bank Avenue.

After learning of this, Jiao Dongfang approached He Qizhang, the executive vice mayor in charge of the project, hoping to
secure it.

He Qizhang patted Jiao Dongfang on the shoulder and said, “Brother, you’re too late. Someone else has already beaten you to it. Besides,
you don’t have that kind of appetite; you can’t swallow this piece of fat. Dozens of castle-like office buildings require a huge amount of money,
an astronomical figure! Where are you going to raise the funds? The banks will contribute some, the municipal finance will contribute some, but there will still be a shortfall of more than
half . And these aren’t ordinary office buildings; they’re banks. Not to mention the special nature of the architecture
, we’ve never even seen the modern bank office equipment before. This isn’t just a bunch of five-star hotels; it’s a bunch of bank towers.
Chinese people simply can’t handle this. This time, don’t bother arguing. It’s useless; my opinion doesn’t count.”

“It was contracted to foreigners?”

“Not entirely. She’s an overseas Chinese. Younger than you, but deeply entrenched. The order came from above to make her
the general agent . I’ve met her a few times; she definitely has connections. Not only high-level connections, but also backing from large foreign conglomerates.
They can cover all the funding gaps. She invited the presidents of three major American banks to visit our city, and
next, five European bank presidents will visit. Do you have that kind of power? In our city,
can you find another person with that kind of power?”

“You make it sound so impressive. Who is this person? ”

“No, not male, but female, a very beautiful young lady. Her name is Wu Aikun.”

Jiao Dongfang was surprised.

“What’s her name?”

“Wu Aikun. Do you know her?”

“No.”

Jiao Dongfang didn't dare admit she knew Wu Aikun. This was her "elder brother's" requirement: even if
they met , she had to pretend she didn't know him.

Later, Jiao Pengyuan attended the groundbreaking ceremony for Bank Avenue and returned to Jiao Dongfang praising Wu Aikun's
extraordinary abilities, ensuring the necessary funds for Bank Avenue arrived on schedule. He didn't dare tell his father he knew Wu Aikun either.

Two months before his imprisonment, he drove past Bank Avenue; the main construction was complete, and several bank
buildings were undergoing exterior decoration. Wu Aikun had indeed handled this matter impeccably.

Jiao Dongfang lay on her makeshift bed, pondering. There must be many secret deals behind Bank Avenue. Wu Aikun
must have pocketed a lot of commissions and kickbacks, and there's a possibility he'll get into trouble; many high-ranking officials will be implicated. But Chen Hu
didn't mention the words "Bank Avenue"; he was only concerned with the Honda Accord. Ironically, the Honda Accord
had no connection to Wu Aikun; perhaps there was, but I didn't know?

Even as the first rays of sunlight streamed through the high window, Jiao Dongfang was still awake. He couldn't forgive Wu Aikun's
ruthless greed; she hadn't given him a single penny from the Bank Avenue project.

Only once, when they met in Hong Kong, she held Jiao Dongfang's hand and said, "I know you gave me the Bank
Avenue project, without competing with me. If you really wanted to compete, even if I were a powerful dragon, I might not be able to beat
you, this local snake. Thank you.

My brother is very satisfied with your generosity. He will compensate you in other ways."

"I didn't do anything, I didn't help at all. He Qizhang must have made a lot from Bank Avenue, right?"

"He's a retainer of your Jiao family; you can ask him.

Anyway, I still want to thank you." Jiao Dongfang really wanted to ask, "

Did you sleep with He Qizhang?"

But he didn't dare, afraid that if the question reached "Big Brother's" ears, things would get messy.

"He Qizhang must have slept with this woman who's not outwardly promiscuous but inwardly horny, otherwise he wouldn't have given her the project!" "
Jiao Dongfang muttered to himself on his makeshift bed. But the sunlight streaming in reminded him that it was time to get up and clean the toilet for the first time.

The signing ceremony for the import contract for the 60361 Cheng Electronics and Communications Project was very simple. Director Li
signed on behalf of Great Wall Trading Company in the Party A section of the contract.

Jiao Xiaoyu signed on behalf of Longjin Company in the Party B section. Then, Jiao Xiaoyu
signed on behalf of Longjin Company in the Party A section of the contract reached with Guangdong Tianfa Group.

Longjin Company entrusted Fufa Group to specifically implement the import of the items needed for the 6036 Electronics and Communications Project.

The general manager of Tianfa Group signed on behalf of Party B.

After the three parties signed, they had a meal at a Sichuan restaurant. Everyone was happy and toasted frequently.

Jiao Xiaoyu's phone rang, and she went to the corridor to answer it. Tao Tieliang informed her that all members of the task force should immediately go to
the Municipal Bureau's guesthouse for a meeting.

Fang Hao had all members of the task force pass around a set of photos of the fire scene at the Forget-Me-Not Electrical Appliances Mall.

"Comrades, everyone has seen the photos." According to the fire department's technical experts, the fire was not
caused by a short circuit, but was premeditated arson. During the cleanup of the electrical room, the remains of a small device were discovered.
It can cause electrical wires to catch fire within a pre-set time. We are investigating along the lines of the arsonist's motives.
There are only three possible motives: one is that the homeowner sets fire to themselves and then claims compensation from the insurance company; another is that the arsonist has a grudge against
the homeowner and sets fire as revenge; and the third is that the arsonist takes advantage of the chaos at the fire scene to profit from the chaos. We've
gathered everyone here today to study this serious issue. Comrade Tieliang, what do you think of this approach? "

Intentional arson?" Tao Tieliang was shocked and couldn't help but ask,

"Secretary Fang, is the fire department's conclusion correct?"

"It's correct. It has been repeatedly verified. In arson cases abroad, they found
records and photos of similar devices. After identification, this arson device was imported."

Tao Tieliang said thoughtfully,

"This is a very serious problem. I'm quite familiar with Jiang Yuexiu; she's Director Jiang's daughter. As far as I know,
she doesn't have any enemies. He Kedai was Jiang Yuexiu's fiancé. They broke off their engagement. Could it be
that He Kedai set fire as revenge?" It's said that He Kedai was gloating after Jiang Yuexiu's death. "

He Kedai?" Jiao Xiaoyu shook her head. "He's just pretending to be bold; he might not have had the courage to set the fire. He's had enough trouble after his father
died ."

Tao Tieliang took out a 555 cigarette, took a puff, and said,

"The more someone is hurt, the more they tend to have a vengeful mentality towards society, and the more likely they are to develop an antisocial personality.
After his father committed suicide out of fear of punishment, He Kedai's status plummeted, and he was resentful. Erecting a tall tombstone for his father
was a deliberate act of defiance against society. I think we can't rule out suspicion towards him."

Zhou Senlin rubbed his forehead with his fingers and said slowly,

"It's unlikely that the homeowner would set the fire and then claim compensation from the insurance company. The homeowner, Jiang Yuexiu, died in the fire
, so she was obviously unprepared for it. She escaped the fire but then rushed back in. Many witnesses
saw this, but they don't know why she rushed back in." "But since she died next to the safe,
and the safe door was open, she probably wanted to go back to the safe to retrieve something."

Chen Hu scratched his scar and said,

"Director Zhou's analysis makes a lot of sense. I also think Jiang Yuexiu went back to her office to retrieve something.
Judging , she most likely went to retrieve the two US dollar printing plates from the safe. Because if this printing plate
were found during the cleanup of the fire scene, Jiang Yuexiu would have broken the law. Another printing plate was missing from the scene, and I suspect that the arson may have been
a deliberate attempt to use the fire as cover to steal the US dollar printing plates. I think finding the suspect who took the other US dollar printing plate
is a key to this case. Another key is to follow the clues about the arson device to find the arsonist."

Fang Hao looked at Tao Tieliang and asked,

"Has your city bureau made any progress in finding the other US dollar printing plate?"

"Not yet. I'm organizing police forces to continue searching for clues. The difficulty is that most of the mall's employees left after the fire
. The employee files were also destroyed in the fire. I think some of them might know something."

Fang Hao raised his eyes: "

Are you all just sitting around doing nothing? This case has attracted the attention of the Central Committee. You have three days to produce
a breakthrough lead! Comrade Tie Liang will lead a group mainly composed of the city bureau's criminal investigation team. Chen Hu will lead a group from the anti-corruption bureau
. Old Zhou is in poor health and has been busy with many things, so just give some suggestions. You two groups will investigate separately and
report to me."

After the meeting, Tao Tie Liang reluctantly went into the Desert King. He understood that Fang Hao's splitting of the Honda Accord special task force into
two groups effectively disqualified him as the group leader. Although Chen Hu was not announced as the deputy group leader,
he was practically equal in rank. He thought that Chen Hu absolutely could not be allowed to get ahead in this matter. He wasn't afraid of Chen Hu taking the credit, but if
the suspect fell into Chen Hu's hands, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Tao Tie Liang went to the secret detention point and interrogated Shen Dongyang.

"Shen Dongyang, what additional leads do you have about the person who knocked you down from behind and snatched the dollar printing plates from you
?"

"I've been thinking about this. " " He seemed to have entered General Manager Jiang's office even before me, and he might be hiding
there ."

This is a crucial clue! Tao Tieliang offered Shen Dongyang a cigarette.

"Did you see him?"

"No. The room was too smokey, and the fire was too big. I couldn't see anything clearly. I mentioned last time that I saw
General Manager Jiang lying next to the safe. I was just about to get the printing plates when someone came in to rescue General Manager Jiang..."

Tao Tieliang interrupted,

"That person was me. You didn't even recognize me, which shows you have very poor eyesight!"

Shen Dongyang looked closely at Tao Tieliang, slapped his forehead, and said,

"So that person was you! I really didn't dare to recognize you. The build was similar, and it's not that my eyesight is bad; I didn't
see . You had just reached General Manager Jiang when you were knocked unconscious by something falling. At that moment, I turned to the side and
seemed to see a head sticking out from behind the metal cabinet on the opposite wall, then it disappeared in a flash. I guess that was the person who
later knocked me unconscious from behind and stole the things." Shen

Dongyang's confession caused Tao Tieliang to fall into deep thought. He mentally
reviewed every detail of his entry into the office, checking if he had overlooked any suspicious clues.

He rushed to Jiang Yuexiu's side, lifted her head, and saw that her head was bleeding. He had always assumed that
a heavy object falling from the ceiling had injured Jiang Yuexiu.

Now it seemed that Jiang Yuexiu might have been injured by someone else hiding in the room besides Shen Dongyang.
This meant that before he entered Yuexiu's office—no, even earlier, before Shen Dongyang entered the office—
a struggle had taken place inside. That person and Jiang Yuexiu had fought over the US dollar printing plates in the safe
, and Jiang Yuexiu had been knocked unconscious and then burned to death.

The person who knocked Jiang Yuexiu unconscious immediately hid
behind a row of metal filing cabinets on the west wall after Shen Dongyang rushed in.

Yes, that must be it. Unfortunately, no forensic examination was conducted before Jiang Yuexiu's cremation. Even if a forensic examination had been conducted,
all the wounds on her body would have been attributed to the fire.

"Shen Dongyang, think carefully again. What noise did you hear inside Jiang Yuexiu's office before you rushed in?
After you rushed in, did you see anyone?"

"I think I heard a woman say 'Oh dear.' I couldn't hear clearly, the chaotic
clattering was too loud. I couldn't hear anything. I can't be sure I really heard anything. After coming in, besides President Jiang, I
didn't see anyone else."

"You just said you saw a figure behind the metal filing cabinet!"

"That was after you fainted again. I didn't see anyone when I first came in."

"Did you see his face clearly?"

"No, I couldn't see him at all."

"What were his obvious features?"

"Let me think... he seemed to have a limp... he was a little lame."

"How do you know he had a limp?"

"He knocked me down from behind, grabbed my things, and went downstairs. I was lying on the ground, right at the bottom of the stairs,
and I saw him limping down the stairs. At least his legs weren't very nimble. There were flames all around, so he must
have run down the stairs. He couldn't run. His limp wasn't severe, and he went downstairs quite quickly. Whether he was lame or not is
hard to say, it all happened so suddenly, and besides, I was still dazed from the beating."

"Hmm, go downstairs. Think carefully, is there anything else you haven't confessed?"

Tao Tieliang watched Shen Dongyang's retreating figure being escorted away by plainclothes police officers, wondering how to deal with this kid. He absolutely
couldn't let him fall into Chen Hu's hands, nor could he be detained here for long.

What reassured him somewhat was that his understanding of the case was far ahead of Chen Hu's. Chen Hu was still completely
clueless! The most urgent task was to find the man with the broken leg as soon as possible.

Chen Hu and Jiao Xiaoyu walked out of the heavily guarded printing plant.

He was dejected. The printing plant's technical analysis of the $100 bill printing plate taken from Jiang Yuexiu's safe and the counterfeit $100 bill from He Qizhang's
safe concluded that: the printing plate had never been used
; the counterfeit $100 bill was not printed from this plate; based on the paper, ink, and printing process,
this type of counterfeit bill could not have been printed in China, its characteristics being
consistent ; the printing plate itself, in terms of materials and process, was not manufactured domestically, but foreign counterfeiters
generally no longer use this outdated printing plate.

In the parking lot, the Cherokee and the BMW were parked together.

Chen Hu opened the car door and said,

"Xiaoyu, let's find a place to discuss this. Let's go to my office."

"Really, I don't know why, but I don't want to go back into the Anti-Corruption Bureau. Or, let's go to my
office ; you haven't been there yet."

"Okay, let's go for a look."

The BMW drove in front, followed by the Cherokee, towards the office building where Longjin Company was located.

The chairman's office of Longjin Company was nearly fifty square meters, dignified, elegant, and grand. The most distinctive feature was
the two oversized English maps of world seaports and airports on the wall.

Chen Hu stood in front of the two maps and said,

"You can tell at a glance that Longjin Company is a large company engaged in global trade. This is the first time I
've seen . Look, even the tonnage of the seaports is marked. I say, your office... is even more spacious than a minister's office
!" He originally wanted to say it was more spacious than her brother's office, but fearing it would offend Jiao Xiaoyu, he changed
his words .

“I only come to this office for half a day a week, and it’s empty the rest of the time, which is a huge waste. Let’s sit on the sofa
and talk.”

There was a set of white leather sofas by the window.

After Chen Hu sat down, he said,

"May I smoke, Chairman Jiao?"

"Who can stop you?"

"You? You

can't stop me." "Go ahead. I know you're upset." "

When the trail goes cold, who can be happy? I originally thought that once it was confirmed that He Qizhang's counterfeit money was printed using Jiang Yuexiu's dollar printing
plate, the case would be much easier to investigate. It turns out my reasoning was wrong; the dollar printing plate was never
used. We're completely stuck. Hey, is this a convenient place to talk?"

"Yes, it's very private. Everyone in the company has gone home."

"Xiaoyu, can you manage such a big company?"

"Actually, I don't need to do much. I'm just a figurehead, representing the higher authorities with the empty title of chairman."

"You'd better be careful. A legal representative, a legal representative bears legal responsibility. Is it that easy to
be one?"

Jiao Xiaoyu took a can of Coca-Cola from the refrigerator and placed it on the coffee table, smiling mischievously,

"Please. Legal representative, how many times have you said that? Why have you become so fussy?
Are you angry because I drive a BMW?"

“Xiaoyu, you remind me of someone.”

“Who?”

“I feel like you’re involuntarily walking the same path she’s walked. Don’t be angry when I tell you.”

“Who do I resemble?”

“Ge Mengmeng. She used to be the deputy director of the Municipal Party Committee’s Confidential Office, about the same position as you are now. You
’re now the confidential secretary to Vice Minister Ji, half a rank higher than her, a full-fledged director. Ge Mengmeng first concurrently served as
the legal representative and general manager of a company under the Municipal Party Committee, and later she went to Hong Kong. It’s been completely investigated; she didn’t resign to go into business.
She retained administrative rank and organizational affiliation; she was an overseas cadre. Do you think her crimes should be entirely her
responsibility? I think many crimes stem from systemic reasons. The simplest one is that a national civil servant concurrently serving as
the legal representative of a company is problematic. Party and government organs…” "Government agencies running companies are becoming increasingly powerful, which inherently violates
the principles of fair competition in a market economy. Relying on their power to monopolize operations, how can corruption not occur! Sigh, our
system is truly interesting. One hand catches corrupt officials one by one; the other hand
produces . Frankly, I increasingly believe that without addressing the systemic problems, simply increasing anti-corruption
efforts is meaningless. I can't control matters concerning the national system. You could either resign from your public office and focus on being
a chairperson or resign as chairperson and become a good civil servant,"

Jiao Xiaoyu chuckled.

"I thought you had a deep understanding of the system, but it's only average. Longjin Company is a
state- , and the chairman must be a civil servant appointed by the higher authorities. Resigning from
public office means losing the qualification to be the chairman. It's the same with your procuratorate's company. Without the company, who would give the anti-corruption bureau bonuses? If the company doesn't make money,
how can it build dormitory buildings with only government funding? To put it bluntly, the companies of party and government organs are like small banks for party and government organs,
the bread and butter of cadres. Let's think about our case. Three days is tight enough. You
don't have much experience in handling criminal cases."

Chen Hu glanced at Jiao Xiaoyu and pointed at her with the finger holding the cigarette, saying,

"You think it's a criminal case? I know Secretary Fang; he won't use a sledgehammer to crack a nut. The fact that he had the anti-corruption bureau
intervene means he has a good idea of what's going on. This is a major corruption case hidden behind a criminal case.
He wouldn't let me handle a small case."

“Ji, Chen Hu, you’re quite proud of yourself. You’re a powerful tool in Secretary Fang’s hands, aren’t you? Don’t think too highly of yourself.
Tao Tieliang, a bureau chief, might soon be a member of the municipal party committee standing committee, taking over from Director Jiang. Secretary Fang is
truly entrusting Tao Tieliang with important responsibilities. Anyway, there are no outsiders here, aren’t you feeling a little resentful?”

“Tell me the truth

, you’re not one to lie!”

“The truth is, I’m a little worried for Tieliang, worried that Fu Xi will be used. Getting promoted to bureau chief isn’t something one person
can decide . It’s the result of coordination and balance among various forces. I’m worried that Tao Tieliang won’t be able to control himself and will
be used by others. Xiaoyu, what I’m saying is a violation of organizational discipline. You can’t say this to Tieliang, and you
can’t say it to anyone. If you tell anyone, you’ll ruin me.”

Jiao Xiaoyu’s expression suddenly returned to melancholy. She said sadly,

“It’s too complicated. No wonder He Kedai and my brother, with such good conditions, just don’t want to be officials.” "Chen Hu,
if you were promoted to a full bureau chief, or even become a member of the Municipal Committee, could you guarantee you wouldn't be used by anyone?"

Chen Hu shook his head.

"I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to escape it either. Due to the flaws in the system, those in positions of power are probably all susceptible, just
to varying . My concern for you stems from this same reason."

Jiao Xiaoyu looked affectionately at Chen Hu on the opposite sofa, and said with feigned ease,

"Don't worry, I'm only being used by you, no one else. And no one else would bother using me. Tell me, can
we take advantage of He Kedai's remaining value?"

"How?"

"The counterfeit money was found in his father's safe. He almost became Jiang Yuexiu's husband. Although they broke up,
there might still be some feelings between them. Could he not know anything about Jiang Yuexiu's company? He might know something about who wants to harm Jiang Yuexiu,
including the US dollar printing plates. What do you think?"

"I talked to him, but he didn't reveal any valuable clues. This guy is quite shrewd; he
can tell what's important." He's the kind of person who doesn't gamble unless he wins, and if he does gamble, he'll win. Why don't you talk to him? "

Chen Hu, don't misunderstand. I did have a relationship with him, but he was unfaithful and hurt me.
That kind of feeling is gone forever. But I think he's not inherently bad, there's still hope. If you agree,
I might talk to him."

"That's strange, you're the deputy team leader, I follow your orders."

Jiao Xiaoyu got up, walked to Chen Hu's sofa, sat on the armrest, and nestled into Chen Hu's arms.

"Don't try to evade me, trying to escape again? I want you to trust me emotionally."

Chen Hu hugged Jiao Xiaoyu and kissed her. The two slid from the sofa to the carpet, embracing and rolling around.

Perhaps they had waited too long for this moment, perhaps they had endured too much suffering for it, perhaps
their lonely hearts could no longer bear the loneliness, perhaps their souls were subtly sensing
the pressure of the outside world. They had no inhibitions; Jiao Xiaoyu stripped naked, and Chen Hu wore only a vest.

One side was a soft, moist, feminine warmth; the other a masculine, dry heat. He felt himself entering the depths of her body,
a place of seclusion, profound exploration, mysterious and boundless. She felt herself being deeply penetrated, a place of power, fierceness, wisdom,
and madness.

Her fair breasts surged and rippled like waves, dazzling the gaze above. Her thick, dark chest hair
danced like a storm, unleashing wantonness upon her soft body below.

The man's panting and the woman's joyful moans told the afterglow outside the window that a union of
spirit and flesh .

A moment that was eternity. Accompanying that moment of pleasure was a lifelong mutual promise.

He drove Jiao Xiaoyu's BMW at breakneck speed. He said to Jiao Xiaoyu, who was sitting in the passenger seat,

"Great, great. 'Drive a BMW, ride in a Mercedes.' That's absolutely true. BMWs are so
comfortable ."

"Then why don't you get a BMW?"

"If I get another one, I'll only be able to trade four rims for two wheels. Xiaoyu, life is truly unpredictable."
"Take us for example, you've climbed up layer by layer, while I've fallen step by step. It really is beyond human
control."

The BMW arrived at the Riding King Club, and after parking, the two got out.

"This is the Riding King Club!"

"Jiao Dongfang brought you here before, right? The Riding King Club, where rich people ride horses. Your precious brother
almost made me fall to my death here. Come on, let's ride horses, and talk about what we need to say right away. Let's write something on horseback!"

"I can't ride a horse, do you want to make me fall to my death?"

"Am I as dark-skinned as your brother? I come here often. Especially when I'm in a bad mood, I come
here to relax. Yi, think about how others almost made me fall to my death here, and motivate yourself. Xiaoyu, do you think I'm like Goujian enduring hardship and biding
his time ?"

Jiao Xiaoyu smiled slightly and said,

"Don't flatter yourself. You haven't missed a single day of eating, drinking, and having fun, and you're saying you're enduring hardship and biding your time?"

The riders at the Riding King Club waved to He Kedai from afar. He ran over and said,

"Ah, sir, after answering your call, I picked out two of the gentlest horses and prepared them for you two."

He Kedai shook hands with the jockey.

"Let me introduce you. This jockey is your brother's accomplice in trying to kill me. This young lady is Jiao Dongfang
's sister."

The jockey smiled awkwardly and said,

"That's old news, why do you keep bringing it up? Miss Jiao, hello. Is this your first time here?"

"I can't ride a horse. But this is my second time here."

"It's alright, there's Mr. He here."

The jockey pulled He Kedai aside and whispered,

"Mr. He, you're really playing a clever game. You got Jiao Dongfang hooked and even got his sister. You're
even more clever than Lao Gao." Jiao

Xiaoyu heard the jockey's mockery, turned her head away, and pretended not to hear.

The jockey invited them to the changing room to change into riding clothes and helped them mount two gentle Yili chestnut horses.

Jiao Xiaoyu, dressed in riding clothes and riding the chestnut horse, looked very spirited.

He Ke, riding the other horse, said:

"Feeling hungry? Just let your horse lean against mine, it's no different from a stroll."

"It really is, I'm not nervous at all."

The two horses walked side by side on a path in a maple forest where the autumn wind had dyed the leaves red.

"Xiaoyu, I heard you can handle import and export licenses now?"

"No, it's not me, Longjin Company has that business."

"I just heard that the new chairman of Longjin Company is named Jiao Xiaoyu. I thought it was someone else with the same name.
I never expected it to be you. Chairman, BMW, Xiaoyu, aren't you going a bit too far?"

"I'm just a figurehead, I don't do anything."

"I think you should step down as soon as possible, before you get caught. It's not too late to retire from this business."

Jiao Xiaoyu was very surprised that He Kedai's opinion was the same as Chen Hu's.

"Ke Dai, from what you're saying, being a chairman is like joining a criminal gang."

"That analogy is quite accurate, especially for companies run by powerful institutions like yours. Frankly, they're just
legal criminal gangs. I've dealt with these kinds of companies a lot; I know their ins and outs better than you do. This
system never gives you anything for free; it's all about bribing you. My dad, your uncle, your brother—
they're all . You've been fighting corruption for so long, how come you've ended up in a den of corruption yourself?
It's risky, I really think it's risky. I'm genuinely worried for you."

"Are you worried I'll also engage in power-for-money transactions, using my position for personal gain?"

"You've just emerged from the muddy waters; you won't go bad that quickly. But given time, it's hard to say. Standing by the river for too long, how can you not
get your shoes wet? I'm worried someone will sell you out, and you'll be helping them count the money!"

Jiao Xiaoyu felt He Ke Dai's words were harsh, but meant well. Nodding, she said,

"Thank you. Surely not everyone standing by the river gets their shoes wet. Ke Dai, if you really care about me,
help me get to the bottom of the counterfeit dollars. And Jiang Yuexiu, who almost became your wife, you should
know a lot about her. Director Jiang has retired, you shouldn't have any more worries, right?"

He Ke Dai burst into laughter.

"Xiao Yu, I said you're simple-minded, and you really are. You only saw Jiang Dabing, not the people behind
him . Even if he retires, even if he goes back to his hometown, or even if he goes to Anling
Prison like your uncle, he's still a tiger!"

Perhaps He Ke Dai's laughter was too loud, because Jiao Xiaoyu's chestnut horse was startled, its front hooves rearing up, throwing Jiao Xiaoyu
off its back.

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