Urban Crisis [Complete] - 4

Six.

Jiao Pengyuan slept for a moment and then woke up. After listening to Ge Mengmeng recount He Qizhang's trip to Hong Kong, he suddenly understood
why He Qizhang had provided so much convenience to Qiu Siyu. He couldn't help but say, "The deputy mayor found a Hong Kong prostitute.
What kind of image does that have? He doesn't look like a high-ranking official at all."

Jiao Dongfang listened intently to Ge Mengmeng's account from the monitor, even feeling a bit
jealous . He said sullenly, "He Qizhang is the first to connect with the world."

The images on the monitor gripped Jiao Dongfang's heart again.

Ge Mengmeng said, "This Qiu Siyu knows a lot about important municipal party committee affairs. He Qizhang dares to say anything in bed.
Maybe the anti-corruption bureau will use Qiu Siyu to open a loophole. Chen Hu has already noticed her."

Jiao Pengyuan said irritably, "She's really a headache."

Jiao Dongfang was reminded by Ge Mengmeng's words. He thought it was time to find a foolproof plan to deal with Qiu Siyu.

Seven.

Jiao Dongfang and Ge Mengmeng sat in an open-air bar, watching the fast sailboats practicing on the sea. He invited Ge Mengmeng not to see
the scenery, but to plot something together.

Seeing that Jiao Dongfang hinted at eliminating Qiu Siyu during their conversation, Ge Mengmeng said, "Prostitutes have no integrity
whatsoever, especially Hong Kong prostitutes. Qiu Siyu will ruin things sooner or later."

Jiao Dongfang, using a defensive stance, said, "You're afraid she'll expose you, aren't you?"

"I'm thinking of your father. You're like a dog biting Lü Dongbin, ungrateful for kindness. I can't be bothered with your father-
son mess."

Jiao Dongfang smiled and said, "Sister Mengmeng, just kidding, don't take it seriously. We're truly
comrades in arms. He Qizhang is just a pawn, let alone Qiu Siyu. However, if
this bitch really exposes your deal with He Qizhang, the consequences will be unimaginable. You handle her,
and I'll bear the consequences."

Ge Mengmeng spread her hands in distress, "It won't be easy."

Jiao Dongfang gazed meaningfully at the sea, "Before you lies the sea, a sea with immense destructive power."

The sea surged, and sails billowed.

Eight

days later, in the same sea area,

Qiu Siyu and Ge Mengmeng were surfing in a tandem speedboat. The waves rose and fell, their movements perfectly synchronized, like seagulls dancing
on the crests .

Suddenly, a jet ski came hurtling towards them.

Ge Mengmeng panicked and yelled, "Quick, get out of the way of the jet ski!"

In an instant, the jet ski capsized the speedboat. Ge Mengmeng and Qiu Siyu both fell into the water and sank. A lifeboat rushed

to the scene. Qiu Siyu and Ge Mengmeng were nowhere to be seen . The jet ski had fled. Ge Mengmeng surfaced, calling for help. The lifeboat pulled Ge Mengmeng aboard. Ge Mengmeng was unconscious. The lifeguard performed CPR. Ge Mengmeng coughed up water. "There's another person..." Ge Mengmeng fainted again. The lifeboat circled the sea several times, but saw no one. The lifeboat abandoned the rescue and headed towards the shore. Ge Mengmeng lay in a hospital bed, being questioned by two policemen, the main questioner being Tao Tieliang. “Ms. Ge, please answer our questions truthfully. Who is the other woman who fell into the water?” “Her name is Qiu Siyu, she’s from Hong Kong, and she owns a restaurant in this city.” “Which of you two suggested speedboating?” “It was Qiu Siyu; she called and invited me.” “What color was the speedboat that capsized you?” “Red, maybe yellow, I can’t remember.” “Was the person driving the speedboat a man or a woman?” “I didn’t have time to see clearly before it capsized.” Another policeman was taking a statement when Jiao Dongfang entered with flowers. “Ms. Ge, I extend my condolences.” “Thank you.” Jiao Dongfang shook hands with Tao Tieliang. “Director Tao is here too.” “We’ll talk to the parties involved to understand the circumstances of the accident.” “You don’t know her, do you? Ms. Ge was the former deputy director of the Confidential Office of the Municipal Party Committee. Is that enough ? I heard there was another woman who fell into the water?” Ge Mengmeng burst into tears. “Please, you must find her; she’s my friend.” Ge Mengmeng cried, unable to speak. Jiao Dongfang said in a consultative tone, "Director Tao, shall we stop here for now? The patient is frightened and needs more rest." Tao Tieliang stood up and said, "Thank you, sorry to bother you, goodbye." Tao Tieliang and another police officer left the ward. Ge Mengmeng asked softly, "Has the Public Security Bureau found Qiu Siyu's body?" Jiao Dongfang said easily, "Let them look inside the shark's belly, the superfluous stuff." "I remembered one of your favorite sayings." "Which one? " "Sculpture is about removing the superfluous." "That's the truth." "Then was Vice Mayor He's son, Jingma, injured? Was that also your masterpiece of removing the superfluous?" Jiao Dongfang peeled an apple, "That was fate." He Kedai, dressed in a striped hospital patient's uniform, moved with difficulty in the hospital's small garden, leaning on crutches. After the large Horizon Banquet Hall, he returned to the hospital for further treatment, but his mood remained poor. A nurse pushed a wheelchair over and said, "He Kedai, you are in the recovery period, don't walk too much, sit in the wheelchair, don't tire yourself out. I'm warning you, don't sneak out of the hospital again. " “ Thank you. This won’t happen again.” “Get in the car!” He Kedai wiped the sweat from his forehead. “I can still manage.” “Okay, I’ll put the wheelchair here. You can sit in it when you’re tired. It’s time to take your medicine soon.” “Thank you.” He Kedai fell into deep thought. He had thought about it countless times, but he still couldn’t understand how he had suddenly fallen off the horse. Jiang Yuexiu, wearing a long dress, came over with a bouquet of flowers in her hands and called out warmly, “Kedai! Kedai!” Jiang Yuexiu came to him and presented the flowers. “An, I wish you a speedy recovery.” He Kedai said sarcastically, “A rare guest, a rare guest.” “Don’t have any conscience. You’re still angry with Dongfang. He said there’s a misunderstanding between you. I’m very busy lately, organizing a group to go to America. I can’t find the time.” “You’ve gone back to human trafficking?” “I’ll push you.” He Kedai sat in the wheelchair. “Then I’ll enjoy myself. How’s business?” "

Jiang Yuexiu pushed the wheelchair forward.

"Not bad. Those not-so-big-but-not-so-small tycoons, I'm afraid if policies change in the future, they won't be able to protect their assets, so they'll
think about going abroad to change their status, and coming back as foreign businessmen! 30,000 US dollars each, pay the money and I'll get them
a visa. We have connections in America, and here, passports are just a matter of my word. This batch has twenty-three going.

" "This business is much better than getting people out of jail. Those two I mentioned last time, have they been released? " "

The one without a case, he's released. You didn't know?"

"How would I know if I was in the hospital ?" "

The one with a case is still a bit troublesome, let's see. After Li Haoyi was arrested by the S Province Public Security Bureau,
everyone was quite nervous, better to be careful."

"Was Li Haoyi formally arrested?"

"Yes, embezzlement, bribery, who knows what else he might have done. My dad said that Jiao Bobo
got angry and bumped his head on a car!"

"Now, the municipal party committee is in for a stir!" "Let's stop here and sit on the bench for a while."

The wheelchair stopped beside the green bench. He Kedai got out of the car and sat down on the bench next to Jiang Yuexiu.

Jiang Yuexiu touched He Kedai's forehead.

"I've been really lonely without you."

Saying this, she kissed He Kedai.

"This is a hospital." He Kedai gently pushed her away, "Yuexiu, don't you think
it's a bit strange that I fell off the horse?"

"What's strange about that? It's not like you're the only one who fell off a horse. It's just that you were unlucky and fell harder than
others ."

He Kedai pondered for a long time and said, "If I hadn't learned martial arts, I would have died that day. Normally, when a person falls off
a horse, the wheels will come off the saddle, and the person won't be in too much danger. But that day, one foot came out
. The other foot was like it was stuck, and I couldn't get it out no matter what. Isn't that a bit strange?"

"Those horses weren't trained. It's also your He family's bad luck. Your father died, and you
almost ." "Don't overthink it, you're almost better, aren't you? This is called 'surviving a great calamity, good fortune is sure to follow'!"

He Ke stood up from the bench, pacing back and forth with his cane. He swung his cane and snapped a flower stem.

"It can't be that simple, someone has tried to poison me. I have to find out!"

Jiang Yuexiu's eyes widened: "Who could it be?" The construction site of the

Shijiang

Bridge was bustling with activity.

A row of bridge piers stood tall on the river, and concrete mixers poured slurry into them. Workers were busy setting up steel bars.

Li Shangmin, along with the site manager, chief engineer, and others, inspected the site. He had clearly lost weight.

"Have the steel bars and cement been tested?"

"All of them have been tested and meet the design requirements."

"There's a minefield in this area, so we must strictly control the quality of all the materials needed for construction. The slightest negligence could lead to a major accident. What do you think, Chief Engineer?" "Right now, the materials and procurement channels are chaotic, and the bridge project hasn't been fully approved before it started. I'm not at ease either.
" This was exactly what he was worried about. He instructed the site manager to fetch the head of the materials department. At that moment, two cadres ran up to him, panting. "Vice Mayor Li! Vice Mayor Li! " "What's wrong? Why are you in such a panic?" "The workers in sections two, three, and five are refusing to work!" Dozens of large trucks stood silently in a row. The workers sat on the ground, forming a long line. Li Shangmin and the others approached. The strike he had feared most had finally occurred. One worker waved his hand, and all the truck drivers got into their trucks. One driver honked his horn. All the horns blared in unison, the angry blasts of protest drawn out and deafening. Chapter Nine: Vice Mayor's Furious Demand for Payments Leads to Suspect's Poisoning Death. The Finance Bureau's office building resembled two dazzling golden pagodas reaching straight to the sky. Li Shangmin stormed up the steps of the Finance Bureau. The main reason for the workers' strike was the three-month . If the 100 million yuan had arrived as planned, none of this would have happened. Li Shangmin entered Ma Zhongliang's office. Two staff members were searching for something in the filing cabinet when Ma Zhongliang stood nervously before Li Shangmin, whose face was contorted with anger. Li Shangmin, his face ashen, said, "Please ask them to leave for a moment." Ma Zhongliang waved his hand. "You can leave now." The two staff members left, and Ma Zhongliang closed the door tightly. "Please sit down, Vice Mayor Li. Please sit down." Li Shangmin paced around the room a few steps before stopping. "What did I tell you before I left on this business trip? Do everything you can to get the 100 million yuan in place, at least a third of it. What did you do?" Ma Zhongliang was on the verge of tears, "I'm in charge of the money, not the money generator. We're really short on funds." "The workers haven't received their wages for three months, do you know that? The workers have already gone on strike. If they cause trouble and take to the streets, can you bear the political responsibility? The equipment and materials that need to be ordered can't be brought in without money, which has seriously affected the construction progress and quality. How are we going to explain this to the people?" Ma Zhongliang held his head in his hands, sweating profusely as he sat on the sofa. "What can I do? You can't cook without rice. What can I do?" Li Shangmin was extremely disgusted by such a shameless act. How could he have placed a cadre who dared not take any responsibility in such an important position? He said sternly, "100 million yuan, that 100 million yuan specifically for this purpose, where did you put it ?" "What can I do...what can I do..." Li Shangmin slammed his fist on the table. "Ma Zhongliang, you need to think this through. If there's any embezzlement or anything like that, you'll be in jail!" Li Shangmin stormed off, thinking to himself that this matter absolutely had to be submitted to the Standing Committee for discussion. Ma Zhongliang nearly had a heart attack from Li Shangmin's outburst. He rushed into the Capital Horizon Hotel to find Jiao Dongfang. At this moment, his biggest fear was that the Municipal Party Committee would sacrifice him to save the king, kicking him out to bear the responsibility for 100 million yuan. After listening to Ma Zhongliang's lament, Jiao Dongfang smiled and exhaled a smoke ring. "Li Shangmin is going to sue me...to send me to jail...you need to think of a way quickly." Jiao Dongfang poured Ma Zhongliang a glass of XO. "Li Shangmin, as the mayor of a major city, is threatening his subordinates with the threat of imprisonment. That's serious enough. Don't be nervous." Ma Zhongliang raised his fearful eyes. "He's going to investigate me. Don't forget, he's a member of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection." "I'll investigate him first." Ma Zhongliang smiled bitterly. "This man is diligent and has no financial problems. How do you even begin?"

Jiao Dongfang's eyes gleamed. "When we decided to build villas on a plot of land along the outer ring road, I consulted him.
I treated him with great respect, even calling him Uncle Li. Guess what he said to me? He actually questioned my status in
speaking , saying I wasn't from the project command center, and the construction site wasn't the Capital Horizon Hotel. I held back then; this
guy was too uncooperative. This time, I'll teach him a lesson and get revenge."

Ma Zhongliang perked up. "Li Shangmin is a black sheep. It's like he's the only one who's like Jiao Yulu, and we're all
corrupt officials. What can you do?"

Jiao Dongfang stubbed out his cigarette. "Don't worry about that; I have my own way."

Three days after Ma Zhongliang's visit to Jiao Dongfang, a car pulled up at the bridge construction site. Yang Ke was driving.

Yang Ke and Sha Li got out.

He Xilai, the contractor for the bridge construction site, greeted them with a smile. "Hello, hello, hello."

Yang Ke looked arrogant.

"You're He Xilai?"

"Yes, I've been waiting for you this morning and didn't dare go out."

"Is the bridge your company's contractor?

" "Yes."

"So you know who I am?" "

Yes, he told me over the phone. I'm incredibly grateful for Mr. Jiao Dongfang's help."

"Enough nonsense, subcontract the Jiangqiao project to the person I designate."

"Who?"

"That's none of your concern."

He Xilai said aggrievedly, "I'm counting on this project to make money. If I subcontract, I'll lose a fortune."

"This is to save you, don't be ungrateful. We've already investigated; you cut corners and used inferior materials.
How can this bridge be sturdy? If you back out now, it won't be your problem if something goes wrong. But if something really happens, seven or eight years in prison
awaits you." "

Please, do you mean it? My small company can't afford such a joke." "

When you subcontract, you need to lower the price significantly, and we'll make up for the losses for you, allowing you to even make a little profit. You
'll earn money, save yourself trouble, and avoid lawsuits. Where else can you find such a bargain?"

He Xilai's face lit up with joy. "Then let's discuss it in detail."

Sally took out a document from her purse and waved it around. "We've drafted a subcontracting document for you. It only
benefits you and has no disadvantages whatsoever. After the subcontracting, any quality issues will be unrelated to you."

"Thank you, then. Let me think about it some more."

Yang Ke became angry. "Why are you being so indecisive? Come to the Capital Horizon Hotel tomorrow morning to find me. I've
hired a legal advisor for you." In

the fourth

waiting hall, among the dozens of people queuing for tickets in front of the Hong Kong sign, one was Ge Mengmeng.

"Flight xxx to Hong Kong is about to take off. Passengers, please board."

Qiu Siyu walked towards the queue with her suitcase.

Qiu Siyu saw Ge Mengmeng in the queue. She hesitated for a moment before going to greet her.

After completing the formalities, Ge Mengmeng turned around and was blocked by Qiu Siyu.

Ge Mengmeng stared in disbelief, "You...you were rescued too...that's great..."

"Yes, that's great. How are you?"

"I was unconscious when I was rescued by the lifeboat, I don't know what happened after that."

Qiu Siyu smiled coldly, "But you know everything about what happened before. There's only one thing you don't know, I'm an excellent
swimmer . How much did you pay to hire me to capsize our jet ski?"

Ge Mengmeng's face turned pale, "What do you mean by that? Are you trying to turn the tables? I strongly suspect that the speedboat surfing was
a trap you set, that you wanted to kill me."

“It was my suggestion to go sailing, but the carefully orchestrated jet ski collision was your doing. Seeing
that He Qizhang was in trouble, you were afraid of being implicated, so you wanted to feed me to the sharks while you slipped back to
Hong Kong unscathed.”

Ge Mengmeng lowered her voice. “You’re really sharp-tongued. You clearly wanted to kill me to cover it up, but you pinned it
on . Because I'm the one who found out your true identity, you wanted to kill me.”

Qiu Siyu smiled slightly and said, “Perhaps we can only clear things up with Chen Hu?”

Ge Mengmeng felt guilty. “If you dare to go, I’ll go with you. But I’m afraid you won’t dare. You
probably don’t want the Anti-Corruption Bureau to know about your secret with He Qizhang.”

Qiu Siyu flicked the dust off Ge Mengmeng’s clothes. “My little secret is nothing compared to your
secret with the city party committee leaders.”

After a brief exchange, Ge Mengmeng and Qiu Siyu entered the waiting room side-by-side like close friends
and sat .

They offered each other cigarettes and lit them.

Ge Mengmeng lit a cigarette for Qiu Siyu and said, "Many friends thought you were dead. Your appearance must have
startled right?"

"I didn't see anyone. I quietly went back to get my passport and return permit, and then bought a plane ticket. I wanted to see
what tricks the people who wanted to kill me were up to. But now it's unnecessary. You know I'm still alive,
so let's face each other directly. What are you doing back in Hong Kong?"

Ge Mengmeng exhaled a puff of smoke. "Handling economic affairs. What about you?"

"Same as you, handling economic affairs."

Ge Mengmeng pressed, "Are you planning to come back?"

Qiu Siyu smiled sweetly and asked, "Are you planning to come back?"

Ge Mengmeng sighed slightly, "No matter how you tried to harm me, since we're sitting together again, we should still
help each other ."

Qiu Siyu chuckled, "No matter how you tried to harm me, since we're sitting together again, we should still
help each other ."

The two looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh.

Ge Mengmeng, determined to deflate Qiu Siyu's arrogance, said sternly, "It's fine if you go back to Hong Kong to avoid the storm,
and come back when you have a chance."

Qiu Siyu retorted, "It's fine if you go back to Hong Kong to avoid the storm, and come back when you have a chance."

The two looked at each other and laughed again.

Ge Mengmeng laughed until her stomach hurt, "Can you stop mimicking what I say?"

Qiu Siyu, however, remained dignified, "What you said is exactly what I wanted to say."

The two picked up their suitcases, stood up, and entered the passageway.

Wu

Tao Tieliang and another policeman entered Chen Hu's office. He said dejectedly, "Chen Hu, the Qiu Siyu you're looking for
might be dead."

Chen Hu was shocked.

"What, Qiu Siyu is dead?"

"Witnesses at the beach said they saw a speedboat capsize the sailboat, and the lifeboat only rescued Ge..."
"Mengmeng is alone. I went to find Ge Mengmeng to get information, only to find out she had already returned to Hong Kong."

Tao Tieliang pulled up a chair and sat down. "We didn't find Qiu Siyu's body; to be precise, Qiu Siyu is
missing."

Chen Hu said blankly, "I was just about to use Qiu Siyu as a breakthrough point. What information did Ge Mengmeng provide?"

"She wasn't feeling well at the time and didn't provide any details."

Jiao Xiaowang came in, and Chen Hu gestured for Tao Tieliang to stop talking.

Chen Hu said displeasedly, "Comrade Jiao Xiaoyu, please knock next time you come in."

"The door wasn't closed. I'm sorry, I'll be more careful next time."

Chen Hu didn't hide his displeasure at being interrupted and said stiffly, "You two know each other, right?"

"We met when Comrade Tao Suling's ashes were buried. Director Tao, hello."

Tao Tieliang stood up and shook hands with Jiao Xiaoyu.

"You and Chen Huzi have had a tough time. He's a workaholic." Six Peugeot sedans drove into the gate of the Southern Suburbs Riding King Club.

The cars stopped, and four agile young men got out and walked towards the riding path. The jockey was demonstrating mounting techniques to several tourists . One of the young men, Ah Si, had been here before with He Kedai. Pointing to the jockey, he said to his entourage, "That's him." The four men approached the jockey. Ah Si said, "We've come to have some fun. Take us to pick out some good horses." The jockey nodded to Ah Si, "Please wait a moment, I'll be right there." The jockey said to the tourists, "Do you all understand? Let me know if you need anything." The jockey turned to Ah Si and said, "You'll pay first, three hundred yuan per person, and then you can choose your horses." Two young men tightly flanked the jockey and walked towards the Peugeot sedan. "What...what are you doing...you..." The jockey struggled as he was pushed into the car. The two Peugeots quickly left the racetrack and headed towards the city. The cars stopped in front of a courtyard house. The jockey, his eyes blindfolded, was led out of the car. He was held by the arms and pushed into the north room of the courtyard. He Ke, dressed in a suit, sat in a wheelchair. "Bring the jockey down." One of the men removed the blindfold from the jockey's eyes, and he looked around blankly. "Please sit, sir." The jockey sat tremblingly in a large armchair that had been brought to him. "Do you still recognize me?" "First time meeting you...what's your name?" The jockey's voice trembled, still shaken. "You're so forgetful! Didn't you tamper with the horse stable and try to kill me?" He Kedai's voice was calm, but it carried a chilling murderous intent. The jockey's legs went weak, and he knelt on the ground. "It's a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding! I have no grudge against you, how could I harm you!" He Kedai nodded. Two men lifted the jockey from the ground and held him down. One reached for the jockey's belt , while the other pulled out a dagger. A-Si said viciously, "You won't tell the truth until I take your balls off." The jockey's pants fell down, revealing his trousers. The dagger lightly flicked at the trousers, the elastic snapped, and the trousers fell to his feet. He Kedai smiled and said, "Don't be nervous, I'll give you a sterilization operation, a minor surgery, not much blood. Go ahead ." The dagger was about to stab the jockey's groin when he screamed desperately, "No! Please don't do it! I'll talk, I'll talk..." The two men released him, and the jockey collapsed to the floor. He Kedai lit a cigarette with a cold smile. "If you don't tell me everything, my brothers will still perform the operation on you." "I'm sorry, we don't use anesthesia here." The jockey, pale with fright, stammered, "...I'll tell you everything. The day before you came, a woman came to me. She brought a picture of you and gave me ten thousand yuan. She told me to do something to your horse when you came, to make sure you fell to your death. I didn't want to kill someone for ten thousand yuan, but she pressured me, saying that if I didn't kill you, she would shut down my Riding King Club. I had no choice but to take her money. The next day, when you came, I recognized you. While you weren't looking, I secretly changed your boots while tidying your stable. Once you went in, you couldn't get out. I also put super glue on the stable to hold the boots in place, so you couldn't get your feet off. But I held back. The most dangerous moment was when I went up and reined in the runaway horse; otherwise, you would have certainly died." He Ke pondered for a moment and said, "So, I should thank you for saving my life?" “ I didn’t mean that, I’ve told you everything, please let me go, I’ll never dare to do it again!” “I’m asking you, among those people who went that day, was the woman who gave you the order?” “No.” He Ke stubbed out his cigarette and pointed, “He still wants to have the surgery, let’s begin.” Ah Si rushed up with a dagger, grabbed the jockey’s hair, and held the dagger to his neck. The jockey screamed: “Really not! If there were, would I not have told you!” “Let him go.” The jockey broke out in a cold sweat again and sat on the floor shivering. “Tell me, what did that woman look like?” “She was tall and slender, about 1.7 meters, wore sunglasses, and I couldn’t tell if her eyes were single or double eyelids, she was in her early twenties , with an oval face, and she was quite pretty.” “If you saw her again, would you recognize her?” “I guess so, but she wasn’t one of the two women who came that day.” He Kedai believed the jockey was telling the truth. " If you agree to and strictly abide by my conditions, I'll let you go back with all my might." "I'm sorry, I'll agree to a hundred of your conditions." " The conditions are simple: if anyone contacts you, including those who rode with me that day, you must not mention that we met today." "That's easy, I can definitely do it. Even if you asked me to, I wouldn't want to." He Kedai waved his hand, "Go on, you've been frightened, sir." The jockey stood up, pulling up his trousers, nodding and bowing, "Thank you, thank you!" The jockey didn't dare turn back and hurriedly walked out. Ah Si called to him. "Stop." The jockey slumped to the ground again, "What else do you need?" "We'll take you back." The black cloth was covered the jockey's eyes again, and he was led out of the courtyard. He Kedai fell into deep thought. A henchman came over.

"Brother, you should at least cut off one of his ears! He almost killed you."

"What do you know? Making too much noise will only alert them. Let this kid go, and the people who want to harm me won't
realize I've discovered their plot."

"Brother, who exactly wants to harm you? Find them, and I'll tear them to pieces."

"I have a pretty good idea of what's going on; he won't escape my grasp." In

the

head of the investigation department's office, Jiao Xiaoyu, sitting opposite Chen Hu at his desk, closed the case file. This was
the first time Chen Hu had let his new assistant see the materials related to He Qizhang's case; he wanted to see if Jiao Xiaoyu was competent.

Chen Hu coldly said, "Finished reading?"

"Is all the information about Vice Mayor He's death here?"

"That's all we have for now. Tell me your thoughts, Master of Laws."

Jiao Xiaoyu smiled, revealing two dimples. "Don't be sarcastic, okay?"

Jiao Xiaoyu picked up the thermos, added water to Chen Hu's teacup, and poured herself a cup as well.

“Director Chen, although you don’t have a very good impression of me, and I don’t know why, work is work.
I think it’s best to investigate from three aspects. First, find Vice Mayor He’s driver and learn in detail about his
activities in the days leading up to his death, especially on the day of his death. Second, investigate the authenticity of the suicide note; since it was typed on a computer
, it should have been stored on Vice Mayor He’s computer. Third, trace the American police
pistol cartridge cases that Tao Suling found and figure out the relationship between the two gunshots. Although we have some preliminary
information on these three aspects, none of it is substantial enough. Do you think my approach is correct?”

Chen Hu nodded in satisfaction . "It's correct to start from these three aspects as a breakthrough in the case;
at least it can solve the cause of Vice Mayor He's death. But my intuition tells me that there's
a bigger case hidden behind Vice Mayor He's death, otherwise, so many strange things like brake failure and obstructed investigations wouldn't have happened. It's a huge spider web,
with old and new cases intricately linked together. Currently, we haven't even torn a corner of this web.
How about we divide the work? You'll be responsible for investigating from these three aspects, and I'll focus on the background investigation of the case."

Jiao Xiaoyu stood up excitedly and said, "Yes, you've finally given me something to do."

Tao Tieliang, the head of the Criminal Investigation Department, rushed in. He saw this harmonious scene.

"Hey, the new partner is working well together!"

Jiao Xiaoyu pulled over a chair, "Please sit down, Director Tao."

Tao Tieliang kept her in suspense, "Chen Hu, you're treating!"

"Why should I treat? You hit me and that's it? Jiao Xiaoyu is a witness to my beating, right?
You should be treating." "

Tao Tieliang said mysteriously, "If I tell you, you'll automatically treat me. It's like finding a needle in a haystack
. We've found the person who sabotaged the brakes!"

Chen Hu stood up from his chair. "Really, this is good news, worth a drink. Tieliang, tell me,
how did you find it so easily?"

"Let me have a smoke first."

Chen Hu took out a cigarette, but Tao Tieliang pushed it away.

"Take mine. Even migrant workers don't smoke your cigarettes."

Tao Tieliang took out a Marlboro and offered one to Chen Hu.

Chen Hu took it, a pang of sadness in his heart. Since Tao Suling's death, he didn't want to see Marlboro cigarettes.

Chen Hu returned the cigarette to Tao Tieliang.

"What's wrong, buddy? Marlboro isn't as good as your cigarettes?"

Chen Hu suddenly laughed. "I issued a warning at Lingling's grave: I won't smoke this kind of cigarette until the case is solved."

Jiao Xiaoyu's heart stirred; she hadn't expected that the "cold-blooded killer" she thought of had such tender feelings inside.

Yang Tieliang sighed: "I'm sorry, I forgot. My sister gave you a pack of Marlboro before she died,
which saddened you. But you'll be able to smoke Marlboro soon. The local police station cracked a theft gang.
One guy wanted to get credit and confessed that he knew a man named Shi Hai. He personally heard from Shi Hai that he had broken
the brakes of a Jeep and made tens of thousands of yuan. The police station immediately reported to the city bureau, and I've ordered them to detain Shi Hai
immediately . I just gave the order, and you're the first one I'm notifying."

Chen Hu slammed his hand on the table.

"Great, we'll go right now."

"What are you in such a hurry for? After the detention, we can interrogate him anytime."

'I still want to see this person as soon as possible; maybe he's the key to unlocking the whole case.' “

Alright then, let’s get going after lunch.”

Chen

Hu drove his Cherokee Jeep toward the hillside of District 5.

Jiao Xiaoyu sat next to him, with Tao Tieliang and another policeman in the back.

A prison van followed behind.

Tao Tieliang had a good impression of Jiao Xiaoyu. “Xiaoyu, you’ll need to be made of steel to keep up with Chen Hu.
He’s a notorious workaholic; he’ll wear you out.”

Jiao Xiaoyu smiled and said, “I was the 100-meter champion in school; I might even be faster than Chen Hu!”

Chen Hu glanced at her and said, “I didn’t expect you to be such a speedster!”

Tao Tieliang slapped his thigh. “This is bad. Chen Hu is a notorious ‘patriot.’ Even the fastest ‘flying
leg’ will be shot down by him. You two, one a ‘speedster’ and the other a ‘patriot,’ if you meet, who
will beat whom?”

A hearty laugh rang out from inside the car. The

car stopped at the site of the overturned car.

Tao Tieliang looked out the window at the steep mountain peaks and said, "This is it. I brought them back from here. Xiaoyu,
my sister is as young as you, sigh!"

Jiao Xiaoyu, Tao Tieliang, and the policeman got out of the car. They stood on the edge of the cliff, looking down.

Chen Hu and Tao Tieliang picked wildflowers from the hillside and wove them together with willow branches. Jiao Xiaoyu immediately understood the sorrow in Chen Hu's
heart , and she helped him pick the flowers.

Chen Hu let out a long sigh from the bottom of his heart: "Sigh—, Tieliang, I'm sorry to you, and even more sorry to Lingling."

Tao Tieliang placed a wild chrysanthemum on the wreath, "Now everything is clear, it wasn't an accident. It was the work of
criminals . The day has come for us to avenge Lingling."

"Sigh, why wasn't it me who died? Lingling should have lived."

"I knocked you out of the boxing ring, you don't hate me, do you?"

"We're family, I know, you're just trying to make me feel better." " I
only called to ease my guilt. Tie Liang. Thank you."

Soon, a small wreath was finished.

Chen Hu and Tao Tie Liang carried the wreath down the hillside, Jiao Xiaoyu following closely beside them.

The other police officers watched the cars on the highway.

Chen Hu and Tao Tieliang arrived at the spot where Tao Suling had fallen. They bent down and placed a wreath, and Jiao Xiaoyu found some stones
to secure it, preventing the wind from blowing it away.

Chen Hu and Tao Tieliang removed their peaked caps and stood silently .

"Sister, we will come to see you again."

Three minutes later, Chen Hu suddenly turned and ran up the slope. The hatred in his heart drove him to reach the top quickly; he needed to get there
quickly to interrogate the suspect.

Tao Tieliang and Jiao Xiaoyu chased after him.

On the suburban highway, the jeep flashed its police lights, overtaking one car after another, and sped towards the wild hillside.

Chen Hu didn't say another word along the way.

A sense of solemnity rose in Jiao Xiaoyu's heart; this sublime emotion brought tears to her eyes.

The car stopped in front of the police station in the grove at the foot of the wild hillside, and an officer ran over.

The officers reported anxiously, "Chief Tao, Shi Hai is in trouble. The station chief is already at the scene, let's hurry!"

The officers led the way on their motorcycles, with the jeep following behind, arriving at a motorcycle repair
shop .

A police car and several police motorcycles were parked at the entrance, and two officers were dispersing the onlookers.

Tao Tieliang, Chen Hu, and Jiao Xiaoyu pushed through the crowd and entered the shop.

The station chief, a shrewd and capable middle-aged man, reported to Tao Tieliang,

"We're too late. Shi Hai is dead, probably poisoned."

Chen Hu walked to Shi Hai's side; he was slumped over the table, motionless, his face ashen. On the table sat a bottle of liquor
and a wine glass.

Tao Tieliang's face was grim as he gave the order: "Investigate the scene immediately, collect evidence, and request the Municipal Bureau to send a
forensic doctor ."

Chen Hu asked the police station chief, "What did this Shi Hai do?"

"He was the owner of this motorcycle repair shop. He could fix any minor problems that came with passing cars. We received
instructions from Director Tao Tieliang and came immediately, but he was already dead."

"What time did Director Tao give you the instructions?" Chen Hu asked.

"Around 10:20 this morning."

"When did you arrive?" "

Around 12:40 noon."

Upon hearing this, Tao Tieliang was furious and said, "More than two hours later, you still dare to say you arrived immediately!"

The station chief, Hu Ru, didn't dare to speak. After a long while, he said, "Director Tao gave the instructions to the deputy station chief, but I wasn't at the station at the time
. I only heard about this when I returned to the station at noon, so I came immediately. Who would have thought such a thing would happen?"

Chen Hu glanced at Tao Tieliang and remained silent. He didn't want to overstep his authority and interfere in matters within the public security system; this was
Tao Tieliang 's jurisdiction. But his thoughts were unhindered. Could this deputy director be the same deputy director he encountered when he came
here ?

Tao Tieliang scolded with a stern face, "Bring the deputy director to see me. You bunch of good-for-nothings! This is serious dereliction of duty!"

Jiao Xiaoyu quietly tugged at Chen Hu's sleeve and said, "Director Chen, there's nothing for us to do here for now. Director Tao
will handle everything properly. I think we should go see the scene where Deputy Mayor He was killed, is that alright?"

Chen Hu thought for a moment and said, "Okay, I'll go with you to the scene."

Jiao Xiaoyu said softly, "Director Tao, we'll be back in a bit."

After leaving the repair shop, Chen Hu started the car and drove towards the hillside.

He parked the car where he had parked last time.

"Last time, I parked the car here, and Shi Hai tampered with it."

Jiao Xiaoyu got out of the car and looked around. "This time, it can't be that he's dead."

"Can't be? Xiaoyu, if there wasn't a mole, could Shi Hai have been killed so quickly? At what point did
the news leak out?"

Chen Hu gave Jiao Xiaoyu a meaningful look.

When Chen Hu and Jiao Xiaoyu climbed to the grove where they could see He Qizhang lying down, Chen Hu saw a person walking step by step
from the grove towards the bushes, as if measuring
the distance between the grove and the bushes with their footsteps.

Who was he? Chen Hu cautiously bent down, but there were no trees to hide behind. He knew he had been discovered.

The figure vanished in a flash.

Chen Hu quickly climbed up the slope, looking around. He judged that the person couldn't have gone far; he smelled smoke.

Chen Hu shouted sharply, "Who's there? Come out!"

Jiao Xiaoyu also climbed up, asking warily, "What's going on?"

"Someone's here. You go around behind the pine wall, I'll go from the front."

Chen Hu went around to the back of the pine wall and saw a man smoking. It was He Kedai, the one they had met at the Diping City Hotel
, but he was no longer in a wheelchair and looked very healthy.

Chen Hu sensed that Wen Zhang had arrived and stepped forward to ask, "Who are you?"

"I'm a tourist. What, can't I come here?"

Chen Hu clearly sensed the other person's hostility.

“Tourists? Few people come here. We’ve met before; you were in a wheelchair.”

He Kedai walked over, extending his hand. “Should I thank you, Chen Hu?”

Chen Hu asked knowingly, “What’s your surname?”

“My surname is He, the He of ‘helplessness.’”

At this moment, Jiao Xiaoyu came over, surprised. “Kedai, what are you doing here?”

Chen Hu was even more puzzled; how could Jiao Xiaoyu know this suspect?

He Kedai scrutinized Jiao Xiaoyu for a while.

“Hello, Xiaoyu, wearing a prosecutor’s uniform, congratulations.”

They shook hands. A wave of doubt rose in Chen Hu’s mind.

“Let me introduce you; it seems you don’t know each other. This is Comrade Chen Hu from the Anti-Corruption Bureau, and this is
He Kedai, the son of Vice Mayor He Qizhang.”

Chen Hu called out, “So you two know each other.”

He Kedai smiled sweetly. “We’ve known each other for many years, haven’t we, Xiaoyu?”

Jiao Xiaoyu blinked her big eyes. “Kedai, what are you doing here? I heard you were hospitalized.”

He Kedai grasped Chen Hu’s hand.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. However, shouldn’t the head of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Public Security Bureau be here,
not you, the head of the Anti-Corruption Department?”

Chen Hu felt this man was very shrewd and not easy to deal with.

“Mr. He, what are you doing here?”

He Kedai threw his cigarette butt on the ground and stomped it out with the sole of his shoe.

“This is where my father fell. I’ve come to pay my respects to his soul.”

“Mr. He, what are your thoughts on the death of Vice Mayor He? I’m in charge of handling this case and hope to
get your cooperation.”

He Kedai pointed to the bushes and said, “See that row of bushes? I think the bullet came from there
.”

Chen Hu admired the other man's quick wit but remained outwardly composed. "You don't think your father committed suicide?" "

Chen Hu, on this point, we're on the same page. It was homicide, not suicide, which is why
we 're friends."

Chen Hu was surprised. "You know my opinion?"

"Yes. I'm very grateful for that; you're someone who dares to uphold the truth."

Chen Hu said seriously, "I don't believe Vice Mayor He was murdered."

He Ke lit a cigarette. "I know about your speech at the expanded municipal party committee meeting."

"You're well-informed." "

Director Chen, I can provide you with some more information. My father never carried a gun; he didn't like guns. He
didn't even know how to disarm them. Before he died, he promised to go to Harbin with me to retrieve a hunting rifle he bought for me,
even though he didn't approve of me playing with guns. I never imagined he would be killed. Killed by the very thing he hated most."

"Mr. He, do you have a gun license?"

"Yes."

"What kind of gun?"

"A hunting rifle."

“I remember you went to the ball at the Capital Horizon Hotel and showed off a handgun. Illegal possession of a gun is against
the law,”

He Kedai said mockingly. “It was a toy gun.”

Jiao Xiaoyu felt that her former friend had become very unfamiliar.

“Why do you insist that your father wouldn’t commit suicide? He left a suicide note.”

He Kedai raised his clenched fists with a sorrowful expression and said, “Because he had no reason to commit suicide! I am
his son, isn’t that enough?”

Chen Hu changed the subject.

“I heard you fell off a horse and were hospitalized? How did that happen?”

He Kedai waved his hand.

“That’s my business, none of your concern! Chen Hu, you have enough trouble already,
mind own business! If there’s nothing else, can I talk to Jiao Xiaoyu alone?”

“Of course. Comrade Jiao Xiaoyu, I’ll wait for you in the car.”

Chen Hu turned and went down the mountain with more doubts. His assistant had so many complicated
relationships with people involved in the case, and leaks were inevitable in the future investigation. If there was any more tip-offs, things would be even more passive.

Jiao Xiaozhi felt this wasn't the time to speak with He Kedai alone, as it would arouse Chen Hu's suspicion, so she said, "I
have a mission right now, it's work time. If we stay alone, Chen Hu will have second thoughts about me."

'Oh, our unexpected meeting means our fate isn't broken. Xiaoyu, you're getting more and more beautiful.'

"Our fate ended long ago, and you're already married."

"I'm divorced. However, I have a girlfriend. You've met her, Jiang Dabing's daughter, Jiang Yuexiu."

"You're getting married again, aren't you?"

"Married? I'm already dizzy. Xiaoyu, I said our fate isn't broken, otherwise how could we
have met again by such a coincidence? This is my most difficult time, are you willing to help me?" Jiao

Xiaoyu recalled her past romance with He Kedai; after all, he was her first love, and first love is always unforgettable
…
At the summer water park, Jiao Xiaoyu and He Kedai rushed into the water one after the other from the slide, splashing water everywhere.

Jiao Dongfang rushed down from above, trailing behind.

Jiao Dongfang jokingly said, “You two are truly a pair of water lovers.”

He Kedai lifted Jiao Xiaoyu up from the water. At that moment, Jiao Xiaoyu felt incredibly sweet, but what happened later
prematurely ended this immature girlish love.

Jiao Xiaoyu entered He Qizhang's small building, went up the stairs, and knocked on He Kedai's bedroom door.

“Kedai, open the door, I know you're in there.”

The door took a while to open, and He Kedai, disheveled, half-blocked the door, awkwardly saying,

“I'm sorry, something's wrong.”

Jiao Xiaoyu pushed He Kedai aside and saw a woman on the bed.

Jiao Xiaoyu turned and rushed down the stairs, tears streaming down her face, and ran out of the He family's small building.

Jiao Xiaoyu straightened her hat and said, “The past is the past. We were both young and
naive back then.”

He Kedai stepped forward and took Jiao Xiaoyu's hand
. " Pushkin said, 'You only realize the value of something when you lose it.' Xiaoyu, can feelings be severed so easily?"

Jiao Xiaoyu pulled her hand away. "Only old people dwell on the past. Let's not talk about these things anymore. Let's go down the mountain."

He Kedai sat down where his father had died, leaning against a tree trunk, looking utterly dejected. He said sadly, "I
suddenly remembered a line from Cao Zhi's poem, 'Tall trees are often swept by mournful winds, the sea surges with waves, the sword is not in hand, why bother with many friends?
' But thinking about it from my perspective, Cao Zhi was wrong. It should be, 'The sword is not in hand, why bother with many friends?' My father is dead, and
all the dirty water will be poured on him. Who will care about me? A stray dog. You go. I want to sit
here where my father died for a while longer." Jiao Xiaoyu wanted to say something but couldn't. She

turned and went down the mountain. She came to the car. Chen Hu was smoking. Seeing her get off, he turned and got into the car. "How do you know He Kedai?" "Sorry, just asking." “ When we were kids, we lived in the same compound, but we didn’t really interact much, just acquaintances.” Jiao Xiaoyu couldn’t explain why she had kept that past relationship from Chen Hu. Chen Hu drove downhill; he didn’t believe Jiao Xiaoyu’s claim of “just acquaintances,” but he didn’t want to pry into her privacy. “I think he’s very smart. He’s here today probably because we share some common goals. Your familiarity with him will be helpful for our investigation. The investigations in the prosecution system are somewhat different from those in the police, especially in anti-corruption The targets are mostly party and government officials at all levels, as well as business people like general managers and white-collar workers . These people are different from criminals who commit robbery, murder, or arson. They are highly intelligent, educated, have status , and strong self-esteem. So, we are mainly engaged in an intellectual contest with them, without needing to resort to banging on the table or glaring at each other, don’t you think?” “These high-IQ criminals are more difficult to deal with.” "Since Shi Hai's sudden death today, what are your thoughts?" Chen Chuyan asked. Jiao Xiaoyu thought for a moment and said, "Could it be that someone is secretly watching us? They have a fairly accurate and timely source of information, which is why they killed him before we arrived, cutting off all the clues that were unfavorable to them?" Chen Hu nodded in satisfaction and said, "You have a keen eye." " I'll analyze it, but unfortunately, there's no evidence yet. If there really is such a person, who could it be? It couldn't be a car mechanic like Shi Hai from the mountains, could it?" Chen Hu accelerated the car.

"Your analysis is logical. I estimate that Shi Hai wasn't even a peripheral figure; he was just a hired hand
, a minor character. Shi Hai's death and Vice Mayor He's death happened in the same area, both on wild hillsides.
Could this be a mere coincidence?"

The car stopped in front of the motorcycle repair shop.

Chen Hu saw two forensic doctors carrying Shi Hai's body into the car.

Ten.

Far from where He Qizhang died, in Hong Kong, He Qizhang was still the focus of attention for some.

Horses galloped on the racetrack, riders vying for the lead.

Uncle He, around sixty years old, lean and wiry, watched the races through binoculars.

Ge Mengmeng and Qiu Siyu sat on either side of Uncle He.

Uncle He was a member of the Jockey Club, and his seats were the best. Ge Mengmeng and Qiu Siyu had
become , a symbol of high status.

Ge Mengmeng excitedly pointed to a horse and said, "Uncle He, your prince is in second place!"

Uncle He put down his binoculars and smiled.

"I'm confident in it,"

Qiu Siyu said excitedly. "Uncle He, it would be great if we bet on your prince today and he wins big!" Uncle

He hugged the two women and said, "Whatever you bet on me, you'll win big."

"Wang Yu" rushed to the front and reached the finish line.

Qiu Siyu hugged Uncle He and kissed his cheek.

Ge Mengmeng hugged Uncle He and kissed his other cheek.

Ge Mengmeng raised her most pressing question. At Jiao Dongfang's request, she tried to get Uncle He's cooperation.

"Uncle He, what about the mainland? I'm afraid we can't avoid He Qizhang's case."

Qiu Siyu chimed in, "Yes, Uncle He, your businesses in Jiao Pengyuan are dozens of times bigger than ours
!"

Uncle He said casually, "That's just a drop in the ocean for me. I'll just give it to them for free. Humph, I'm
not afraid of them. Yes, I invested some money, but the loan I got from He Qizhang is
much larger . In mainland terms, once you get the money, you're the boss." "My investment was just bait; the loan was the real fish I caught
. Now that the fish is in my belly, why would I spit it out?"

Uncle He chuckled.

"Who's hosting the dinner tonight?"

Ge Mengmeng volunteered without hesitation. "I'll host."

Uncle He then said something that surprised both Ge Mengmeng and Qiu Siyu: "No, I'll treat you to
a farewell dinner ."

Qiu Siyu asked, puzzled, "A farewell dinner for us?"

"Yes, you two go back. Go back to the mainland and continue your business."

Ge Mengmeng said coquettishly, "The Anti-Corruption Bureau is more powerful than the Independent Commission Against Corruption; they'll arrest people. I'm really
scared to go back. "

Uncle He stood up. "I'm here; everything will be arranged. " "

Thunder in the north, rain in the east.

Newspapers rolled out of the printing press.

The next day, Hong Kong newspapers were filled with news of Uncle He manipulating the media.

The mainland's anti-corruption campaign shakes Hong Kong businessmen's investment confidence!

Is the mainland's opening-up policy about to change?

Vice Mayor He Qizhang, a member of the Central Committee, committed suicide, and the Anti-Corruption Bureau made a mountain out of a molehill! On

the 11th,

Jiao Pengyuan slapped his hand on the Hong Kong newspapers that Ge Mengmeng had delivered by express.

Shen Shi stood silently beside him, knowing that Secretary Jiao was enraged by the newspapers.

"Tell Zhou Senlin that all investigations into He Qizhang are over. We can't let this cause any more harm!
To smear our own reputation and provide ammunition for bourgeois newspapers to attack us, what does that mean! We should
consider the impact!"

Shen Shi said cautiously, "Secretary Jiao, Zhou Senlin is ambiguous. He speaks with reservations, like a frosted glass;
you can't see anything clearly inside. Can he be trusted?"

Jiao Pengyuan took a pill. "That's just the kind of person he is."

Shen Shi tidied up the newspapers on the table and casually said, "Once Vice Mayor He and the member of the Central Committee open the floodgates, who
knows how much trouble that will cause." "Should we find someone from our own circle to oversee things ?"

Jiao Pengyuan finally looked at Shen Shi properly. "You're young but shrewd, you're starting to resemble Hao Xiangshou.
What suggestions do you have?" "Send Hao Xiangshou to the Anti-Corruption Bureau to guide the work. Director Hao is a member of the three-person team, and he'll be representing you to strengthen the Party's leadership. It's a logical arrangement." Jiao Pengyuan thought this was a good idea, allowing Hao Xiangshou to legitimately rise above Zhou Senlin. He exclaimed , "*Shen, you have a lot of potential!" Chapter Ten: A Corrupt Official Enters the Mayor's Home, Two Factions Battle Wits Zhou Senlin and Hao Xiangshou chatted and laughed. He had already been informed that Hao Xiangshou had been stationed at the Anti-Corruption Bureau to take the lead in the He Qizhang case. "Secretary Jiao sending you here is the greatest support for our Anti-Corruption Bureau's work. Old Hao, if I do anything , please criticize and help me." Hao Xiangshou was very polite. "I've been away from the public security, procuratorate, and court system for more than ten years. I'm rusty with the work. You'll still be in charge. I'm just representing the Municipal Party Committee to offer my opinions. " " Old Hao, should we hold a welcome party in the compound and have you give an inaugural speech?" Hao Xiangshou waved his hand and said, "Let's not bother with formalities. What's most important is that we do some practical things for the people. Wait, where's Chen Hu?" "I called, he'll be here soon." Chen Hu knocked and entered, startled to see Hao Xiangshou. Hao Xiangshou greeted him with a smile, "What, Comrade Chen Hu, don't you recognize me? Please, have a seat." Zhou Senlin emphasized, "The Municipal Party Committee has decided that Comrade Hao Xiangshou will represent the Municipal Party Committee in guiding the work of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, serving as frontline commander. This shows that the Municipal Party Committee is determined to fight corruption. I've called you here to report on your work. From now on, the investigation into He Qizhang will be personally handled by Comrade Hao Xiangshou, and you must report to Director Hao at any time. Have a seat." Chen Hu suppressed his panic, "Shall we begin the report now, Director?" Hao Xiangshou offered Chen Hu a cigarette. " General affairs are still handled by Director Zhou; I'm just specifically dealing with Vice Mayor He's case. Comrade is a sharp blade on the anti-corruption front; let's all work together, under the leadership of the Municipal Party Committee, to get the anti-corruption efforts to the point. Comrade Chen Hu, immediately give me all the files you have on the investigation into Vice Mayor He's death; there must be no reservations, that's organizational discipline." "I'll go get them right away." Hao Xiangshou gestured for Chen Hu to sit down. "No rush, we need to get a feel for the situation. Where's Comrade Jiao Xiaoyu? Why isn't she here?"

Chen Hu glanced at Zhou Senlin, seeing only a blank face, and reluctantly said,
"Jiao Xiaowu went to He Qizhang's house to collect evidence."

Several Standing Committee members lived in this compound, each in a two-story house surrounded by an ornate iron fence.
There were guards and a duty room at the main gate.

The guards at the duty room were stopping five or six petitioners trying to enter the compound. One guard shouted,
"No causing trouble here! Disperse!"

Jiao Xiaoyu watched quietly from the gate.

A middle-aged man holding a large kraft paper envelope stood at the front.

"We want to see the city leaders! We want to petition! Why has the renovation plan for our dilapidated housing area been in place for ten years,
and there's still progress!"

An old woman cried, tears streaming down her face. "You high-ranking officials live so well, don't you care about how we ordinary people live
?"

A young man shouted, "How are you implementing the central government's affordable housing project? Did all the money go into
your pockets? Where did the money for the dilapidated housing renovation go?"

Another guard came out of the duty room, his attitude more gentle. "Comrades! Comrades! If you want to petition,
go to the municipal government's petition office. Don't make a scene here."

The old woman plopped down on the ground. "If I can't see any high-ranking officials, I'll live here! Eight people in one room,
and it's about to collapse. How are we supposed to live?" Factory worker

Jiao Xiaoyu said, "Excuse me, please make way," and brushed past the middle-aged man to the door.

After the guard verified her identity, he let her in. Even after walking a long way, she could still hear the commotion at the door.

She arrived at the door of He Qizhang's house at No. 1, Jia, and pressed the bell on the iron gate.

The young housekeeper, a woman in her twenties who looked like she was working out of town, came out to open the door.

"Who are you looking for?" “

I’m from the procuratorate. Can He stay home?”

“Wait a moment.”

The nanny went into the mansion.

Soon, He Ke came out, opening his arms to welcome her.

“An uninvited guest!”

He Ke opened the iron gate, took Jiao Xiaoyu’s hand, and pulled her inside.

“You haven’t been here since you left in a huff years ago. Hurry up and clear the place.”

“If it weren’t for work, I wouldn’t have stepped into this door again.”

“When my father was alive, I didn’t live here. There were guards at the gate, and it was inconvenient for friends to come. Now that
my father is dead, I need to spend more time with my mother.”

Jiao Xiaoyu looked back. “There are petitioners at the gate, it’s a mess.”

“That’s common. It’s always chaotic. We drive one group away, and another group comes. There are just too many Chinese people! ” He

Kedai ushered Jiao Xiaoyu into the living room. The living room was over sixty square meters, with an Italian leather sofa in
the center, surrounded by a stereo cabinet and a rosewood display cabinet.

A maid brought in a pot of tea.

He Kedai waved her hand, and the maid left. He Kedai poured Jiao Xiaoyu a cup of tea. The tea set was antique.

"You should have called before you came. My mother went to the hospital; she has a severe case of neurasthenia. I just
walked in . You almost broke the lock."

"Kedai, I want to know a little something..."

He Kedai brewed a pot of Kung Fu tea, his movements precise and practiced.

"Kung Fu tea, this technique is called 'Zhang Fei's Troops'."

"Quite sophisticated." "

Kung Fu tea requires effort. Otherwise, you can't appreciate the flavor. You need to put in the effort too. I guessed you would come.
I never expected my father to meet such a tragic end."

"If you believe it was murder, who do you think would have done it?"

"That's your business. It couldn't have been just an ordinary person."

"Does your father know how to use a computer?" “

Yes.

” “Where is his computer?”

“In the study.”

“Can I go see it?”

“I’ll take you.”

He Kedai led Jiao Xiaoyu into his bedroom.

Jiao Xiaoyu turned to leave, but He Kedai stopped her. He Kedai pleaded, “This place holds many beautiful
memories for us, Xiaoyu. Reliving these memories brings back a special feeling.”

Jiao Xiaoyu put on a serious face, “He Kedai, I’m on official business. If you obstruct me from doing my duty,
you will bear the legal consequences!”

“Why are you so serious? I didn’t mean anything by it, it’s just that I can’t forget my old feelings.”

“How can you be so shameless? Come on, let’s go to your father’s study.”

He Kedai sighed in disappointment.

“Alright, my prosecutor.”

He Kedai led Jiao Xiaoyu up the stairs to He Qizhang’s study on the second floor.

The forty-square-meter study was very tidy. Bookshelves lined both walls, and a computer and printer were placed on
the computer desk by the window.

“Can I search?”

“Yes. I don’t know how to use a computer, do you?”

Jiao Xiaoyu sat in the swivel chair and skillfully began to operate the computer.

Various files and numbers appeared on the screen.

There was no suicide note on the hard drive. She began searching the floppy disks.

She inserted one disk after another, but still no suicide note.

He Kedai asked curiously, "What are you looking for?"

"Your father's suicide note was typed on a computer; it should be stored, but I haven't found it."

He Kedai sneered, "The suicide was fake, so the suicide note is obviously fake too. How could you have found it?"

"Besides this IBM, did your father have any other computers?"

"No, not at home. Of course, there's one in the office. But my father doesn't type himself in the office; that's the typist
's job."

"I'm extracting various fonts from the computer so I can compare them with the fonts in the suicide note when I get back."

"Go ahead."

The printer printed out several Chinese characters. Jiao Xiaoyu put the printed paper in her pocket.

"Your father's driver is named Du Xinzheng, right?"

"Yes. He's waiting for a new job assignment."

"Are you familiar with him?"

"Very familiar."

"That's enough for today, sorry to bother you. If you can recall any suspicious clues, give me a
call ."

He Ke held Jiao Xiaoyu's hand and said, "Xiaoyu, you need to be careful about Tao Suling's fate. I don't want to see you
die young."

"Are you threatening me?"

"No, this is just a friendly reminder. Even I almost met my maker, let alone a girl like you."

"Thank you, goodbye."

Only Hao Xiangshou and Jiao Dongfang were in the spacious private room of the Zhichun Pavilion restaurant at the Capital Horizon Hotel. (Revolving table)
A variety of hot and cold dishes were laid out on the table.

Jiao Dongfang raised his glass: "Uncle Hao, you're now the anti-corruption envoy. Cheers!"

Hao Xiangshou put his glass back down on the table. "Dongfang, you and your son are putting me on the fire
!

" "Even if you're as good as Zhao Zilong to save Liu Bei's son,

you'll still have to do your best."

"Director Hao, eat. After this storm passes, you, the deputy secretary of the municipal party committee, will still be around. I guarantee you'll
have a gun . So, what did you find on your first day in the anti-corruption bureau?"

"I looked through all the files Chen Hu investigated, but I didn't find anything worrying." "

Well, He Qizhang clearly committed suicide, what could he possibly find out?"

"Today, Jiao Xiaoyu went to Vice Mayor He's house to check the computer, but she didn't find a suicide note."

Jiao Dongfang seemed to understand something.

"Uncle Hao, He Qizhang's family hasn't been thoroughly investigated, has they?"

“It seems not. How can we search without having evidence of He Qizhang’s crimes? Your
father has given clear instructions that the investigation into He Qizhang ends here. ”

Jiao Dongfang stood up, circled the table, picked up his wine glass, and said, “Come on, cheers for your success
and achievements .”

Jiao Dongfang clinked glasses with Hao Xiangshou.

“If we want it to end here, then we must draw a perfect conclusion and prevent others from interfering. So let’s do a disguised
search. We can’t let anything troublesome fall into Chen Hu’s hands. Uncle Hao, under
the guise of sorting out and collecting documents, organize a thorough search of He Qizhang’s house.”

“What are you looking for?”

“A permit, one of my father’s permits, about lending money.”

“What permit is it? Don’t you trust me?”

“Well, it’s a long story. You start by searching, thoroughly investigate the He family, inch by inch. I don’t
believe He Qizhang can hide the permit in the sky.” "Come on, eat your food. Let's think this over carefully."

Following

the plan agreed upon with Jiao Dongfang, Hao Xiangshou, along with Chen Hu, Jiao Xiaoyu, and a dozen plainclothes officers, entered
He Qizhang's house. They split into two groups to search, one searching the first floor and the other the second.

Xiu Xiangzhen blocked the stairs leading to the second floor.

She angrily pointed at Hao Xiangshou, "Old Hao, what do you mean by this? Qizhang's body is barely cold, and you're
already ransacking his house!"

Hao Xiangshou smiled ingratiatingly, "Sister Xiu, how are you feeling?"

"When Vice Mayor He was alive, you always called me 'Sister Xiu,' and now you're searching my house? You still dare to
call me that!"

Hao Xiangshou's attitude softened further. "You misunderstand. This is absolutely not a search.
Everyone is saddened by Vice Mayor He's unfortunate passing. We're too busy helping you to dare cause trouble here. The Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government need to clean up documents;
what should be retrieved should be retrieved, and what should be archived should be archived." "Vice Mayor He has a habit of taking documents home to review, so
the Municipal Party Committee asked us to help you organize these documents. I promise I won't touch anything except the documents. Sister Xiu,
is that alright?"

"Then I need to call Secretary Jiao first."

"That would be perfect."

Xiu Xiangzhen picked up the phone hanging on the wall at the corner of the stairs and dialed.

"Is Secretary Jiao in?"

In Jiao Pengyuan's office, Shen Shi handed the phone to Jiao Pengyuan and said, "It's He Qizhang's wife calling, and she's quite
angry !"

"Xiangzhen, I haven't had time to visit you, I'm so sorry. Is there anything you need me to do?"

"Why did Director Hao search my house?"

"You misunderstand. He only went to retrieve documents from the Municipal Party Committee and the Central Committee. You understand, keeping documents at home
is unsafe and doesn't comply with confidentiality regulations. There's no other intention besides that.
My attitude He has always been clear: I will be responsible for his political life and will not allow anyone to fabricate
stories or frame me. You can rest assured." “

Since you’ve said so, then that’s settled. Goodbye.”

Xiu Xiangzhen put down the phone and said, “You can begin.”

Hao Xiangshou smiled apologetically, “Thank you.”

Hao Xiangshou gestured to Chen Hu, who led five people up to the second floor to search each room.

Jiao Xiaoyu led five people to search the first floor.

Xiu Xiangzhen sat on the sofa in the study, tears streaming down her face.

Hao Xiangshou walked to Xiu Xiangzhen’s side and lowered his voice, “Sister, don’t forget, Vice Mayor He and I
are friends. This is entirely for Vice Mayor He’s protection. If the central government intervenes first and finds something,
it will be troublesome.”

Xiu Xiangzhen looked up with tearful eyes, “Really?”

Hao Xiangshou nodded firmly.

Some of the searchers searched the filing cabinets, while others searched the computers.

Chen Hu found the safe and patted it.

“Director Hao, should we open this safe?”

“You can search other places first, I’ll tell you later.”

Hao Xiangshou said softly to Xiu Xiangzhen, “Sister, come with me.” Hao

Xiangshou led Xiu Xiangzhen into the kitchen; he was clearly a regular there.

The kitchen was twenty square meters, equipped with Western-style appliances, and was clean and bright.

Hao Xiangshou closed the kitchen door and asked Xiu Xiangzhen softly, "Can the safe be opened? Is there anything taboo inside
?"

Xiu Xiangmei said tearfully, "To be honest, Lao Hao, the safe was opened by someone of unknown origin a few days ago,
and even the slightest taboo item was stolen. There are only a few documents left now, and I can tell
they've been rummaged through."

"Is that so? Did you report it to the police?"

Xiu Xiangzhen shook her head.

"I understand now. There must be something inconvenient about it. I'll secretly help you investigate. Shall we let them open it now?"

"I'll open it for you. Whether the documents are missing or not, I can't say for sure."

Hao Xiangshou said with sympathy, "I'm sorry to trouble you, sister. Actually, if Qizhang hadn't died, nothing would have happened.
He was a good person in every way, except for his strong-willed nature. He was unyielding. With his passing, Secretary Jiao lost a
right-hand man, and his strength has yet to fully recover." "Aussie, I'll handle the epaulet case, don't worry."

Xiu Xiangzhen opened the safe.

Chen Hu took out the contents—a dozen or so documents, all belonging to Liu Yuanhua.

"Are we taking these documents back?"

"All documents, whether from the central government, the municipal government, or other departments, are being taken
back."

"Do we need to register them?"

“Of course, register everything together,”

Chen Hu said to one of the officers. “Register each item individually. No omissions.”

The officers registered the documents.

In the maid's room on the first floor of the He family's house, the nanny watched nervously as Jiao Xiaowu directed the search.

“Remember to put everything back where it belongs after the search.”

Finding nothing, Jiao Xiaoyu turned to the nanny and asked, “Where is the storage room?”

“The one downstairs.”

“Open it.”

The nanny opened the storage room door and turned on the light. Inside were many bottles of foreign liquor and cigarettes.

An officer moved a box and found a closet with a lock on the door.

“Open it.”

The nanny said timidly, “I don’t have the key.”

“What’s inside?”

“I don’t know, I’ve never opened it before.”

The officer used two steel wires to unlock the door and opened it.

Shining a flashlight inside, they found a black leather diary.

The officer took it out and handed it to Jiao Xiaoyu.

“A notebook.” Jiao

Xiaoyu flipped through the book, her expression one of astonishment. She took the book upstairs.

Chen Hu's attention was drawn to the sandalwood table in the study displaying an antique vase. He lifted the vase, then the table to examine it,
tapping it; there was an echo. He pried open a partition with a knife and found an empty box containing three US
dollar .

Chen Hu picked up the cards to examine them.

Hao Xiangshou approached and asked, "What is this?"

"US dollar credit cards from a Hong Kong commercial bank,"

Hao Xiangshou said in a low voice. "Didn't I tell you to only check the documents? Put them back."

"You said you were looking for an approval document; I thought it would be here,"

Hao Xiangshou said sternly. "Put them back."

"Ah, Vice Mayor, how can a public official have credit cards in Hong Kong? This discovery is very important,"

Hao Xiangshou said helplessly. "Give them to me, continue looking for documents."

'Okay, I'll register them and give them to you.'

Chen Hu copied the credit card numbers onto the form and handed the three credit cards to Hao Xiangshou.

Hao Xiangshou whispered, "Don't tell anyone about this. Even He Qizhang's family might
not ."

Hao Xiangshou went to check other rooms, worried about finding something else taboo.

Jiao Xiaoyu came in with a notebook and said, "Chen Hu, we found this notebook in the storage room. It looks like Vice
Mayor 's important events."

Chen Hu took the notebook, flipped through it, and said thoughtfully, "An important discovery. It's very valuable. Very valuable."

Hao Xiangshou returned.

Chen Hu had no choice but to report, "Comrade Jiao Xiaoyu found this in the first-floor storage room. It looks like He Qizhang's diary
."

"Let me see."

Hao Xiangshou flipped through the diary, his brow furrowing. He put the notebook into his briefcase and said,

"You can continue the inspection."

"It hasn't been registered yet."

Hao Xiangshou hesitated, when He Kedai rushed in.

"Stop! Are you trying to rob us?"

The safe door was ajar, but He Kedai pulled it open.

"Fine! You stole secretly a few days ago, now you rob me openly! I'll fight you to the death!"

Chen Hu was taken aback by these words, wondering what "stealing secretly a few days ago" referred to.

He Kedai grabbed a floor lamp and swung it at the police officers.

One officer couldn't dodge in time and was hit in the head, bleeding profusely.

Chen Hu pounced, grabbing He Kedai around the waist, while another officer snatched the floor lamp from He Kedai's hand.

He Kedai cursed, "Hao Xiangshou, you bastard! You're all bastards who kick someone when they're down!"

Hao Xiangshou tried to reason with him, "Kedai, calm down, don't be impulsive."

"You killed my father, you might as well shoot me too! Bastard! Bastard!"

Xiu Xiangzhen came in upon hearing the commotion and shouted, "Kedai, don't do anything reckless! Don't make things difficult for Uncle Hao."

Hao Xiangshou ordered Chen Hu, "Let him go."

Chen Hu released He Kedai.

Hao Xiangshou patted He Kedai's shoulder, still seething with anger, and said, "Come on, let's go to your room and have a good talk."

"I have nothing to talk to you about! Watching from the sidelines, kicking someone when they're down, everyone pushing a falling wall, everyone condemning a broken drum!
I've seen it all!"

Xiu Xiangzhen slapped his son across the face. "Don't talk nonsense!"

Xiu Xiangzhen regretted hitting his son and fainted, caught by Jiao Xiaoyu.

Hao Xiangshou said anxiously, "Quick, take him to the hospital!"

He Kedai cried out to the heavens, "Dad! Dad! Open your eyes and see! You were their pawn when you were alive, and
now you're being made to take the blame even after you're dead!"

Chen Hu thoughtfully touched the scar on his face, realizing the complexity of the situation.
Five

. Hao Xiangshou and Jiao Dongfang each wrapped a towel around their necks while taking a sauna. Hao Xiangshou added some water from Shanghai. An invisible
steam rose. He glanced at Jiao Dongfang and said, "Dongfang,
have you looked at the list of documents we retrieved from Vice Mayor He's house?"

"Yes, thank you for your hard work."

"Is what you're looking for there?"

"No, that's strange. Where did He Qizhang hide it?"

"What documents are you so anxious about? Why all this fuss?" Jiao

Dongfang said irritably, "Let's go take a shower. This sauna is really too much."

The two left the sauna and entered the wave pool.

A waiter brought tea, mineral water, cigarettes, towels, etc., and placed them on the marble countertop.

Jiao Dongfang waved, and the waiter withdrew.

Hao Xiangshou lit a cigarette and said, "Dongfang, something strange has happened."

"What strange thing?"

"A few days ago, He Qizhang's safe was secretly opened, and something was stolen. He Qizhang's wife
didn't say, but I guess it was nothing more than US dollars, gold and silver jewelry, etc. More importantly, the documents were also searched.
Why do you think the thief would be interested in the documents?"

Hao Xiangshou gave Jiao Dongfang a meaningful look. He suspected that Jiao Dongfang had some connection to this theft.

Jiao Dongfang remained silent. Hao Xiangshou felt he had grasped Jiao Dongfang's intentions; it must be a
document kept by He Qizhang that was unsettling this young master, otherwise why would he organize this search?

"Isn't this strange?"

Jiao Dongfang pondered for a long time before saying, "Could it be that the central government conducted a secret search of the He family?

" Hao Xiangshou smiled and said, "That's absolutely impossible."

"Uncle Hao, besides the documents, did you find anything else interesting during the search of the He family's house?"

Hao Xiangshou didn't want to tell Jiao Dongfang about the credit cards and notebook they'd found; these were
crucial for future success. "No problem, nothing was found. This wasn't a search, just retrieving documents. Nothing
special ."

Jiao Dongfang drank a glass of mineral water. "I know He Qizhang has a habit of keeping a diary, noting down even the smallest things
. If you find something like that, keep an eye out; who knows what he's writing down?" "

Okay, if I find He Qizhang's diary, I'll definitely let you see it."

"Let's go get a massage."

URL 1:http://localhost:909/htmlBlog/14625.html

URL 2:/Blog.aspx?id=14625&aspx=1

Previous Page : Urban Crisis [Complete] - 2

Next Page : Urban Crisis [Complete] - 5

增加

comment Open a new window to view comments

Contact Information

Urban Crisis [Complete] - 4

comment Open a new window to view comments