Chapter 63

The two of us quickly reached the shore of Fengming Hu.

Since it was noon and almost July, the sunlight was very strong.

There were few visitors by the lake.

Li Ming pushed me as we walked slowly along the lakeside boardwalk.

Li Ming said, "Brother, I heard that this Fengming Hu is the land you bought and donated to Zaocheng without compensation."

I said, "That was back when Zhu Sheng was here; how many years have passed in a blink."

To support Zhu Sheng and develop the new city well.

Zhu Sheng found me and said he wanted to build an artificial lake.

I immediately supported it.

This Fengming Hu was a suggestion from He Zuming to Zhu Sheng, right?

He said, with mountains at the back and flowing water in front, Zaocheng Xin Cheng could then have great development.

The mountain behind the new city is called Shengui Shan, which is Black Tortoise; therefore the flowing water should be named after a bird, symbolizing Vermilion Bird, hence it was named Phoenix Cry Lake.

Li Ming then said, "He Zuming is truly an immortal; Mr. He has been wandering the world for several years now, why has there been no news at all until now?"

I said, "Mr. He, wanting to travel while he can still move, to see our magnificent rivers and mountains. He once told me he is a geomancer; if he doesn't go to view famous mountains and rivers, how can he practice?"

So, he has to travel everywhere, south and north. No one said anything when he left. Time flies—it's been over five years. I have many matters I still want to consult him about.

Li Ming then said, "Brother, I didn't push you out just to stroll and chat about Mr. He, did I?"

I said to Li Ming, "Let's go under that tree shade; I have something important to tell you."

Li Ming pushed me to the tree shade,

I then recounted how Kong Shi had asked me to report Zhu Sheng, how I had arranged for Qi to go to the provincial capital, and then had Xiao Wu steal Qi's files, as well as how I had deceived Kong Shi.

After I finished speaking,

Li Ming's expression became very solemn,

then he fell into deep thought for a long time,

Li Ming said, "Brother, you're really foolish. How could you let someone like Xiao Wu handle such a matter? Now whether he stole the file bag or not, nobody knows.

Moreover, there's no way to verify it.

If he gave you a fake, you also have no recourse.

Qi might not have had anyone steal it; he could have simply taken the fake file bag you gave him and reported it.

In that case, Kong Shi would receive the information.

If your report materials are fake, how would Kong Shi view you? He would outright deny you.

For such a major matter, how could you joke about it like that?"

Upon hearing Li Ming's criticism,

I could only shake my head and say, "Li Ming brother, your criticism is correct; I treated this matter too lightly. I also trusted Xiao Wu too much. Originally, I had a meeting this afternoon with Li Xingzhang of Zaocheng Bank, but it was also canceled. Surely Kong Shi is meddling in between.

It seems that from now on, our Da Heng Group will face difficulties. Having offended Kong Shi, how can our Da Heng Group still stand in Zaocheng?"

Li Ming then took out a cigarette,

and handed it to me,

"Brother, I understand your feelings; you don't want to report Zhu Sheng because your conscience won't allow it. Yet you also cannot offend Kong Shi, so you resort to having Xiao Wu use some shady means to get past this.

But how can one possibly deceive these people and these matters?

Brother, as things stand now, we have already offended Kong Shi.

I feel we must carefully ponder this matter."

I took a puff of smoke,

"Go on, I'm listening."

Li Ming continued, "Brother, given Kong Shi's style, once he knows you submitted false materials, he will surely not react overtly; he will handle it coldly, then wait for a chance to strike you hard.

The fact that he reacts this way shows he still trusts you.

He also wants to make clear whether you are genuinely deceiving him or falsely deceiving him. That's why he has Li Xingzhang stop meeting with you, to warn you and make you listen to him.

Then you can submit the genuine report materials.

Actually, if you just submit the genuine materials, how would you explain the fake ones?

That would show that you originally really were deceiving him.

Rather than that, you'd better insist that the materials Qi sent were genuine.

Also, regarding Qi's side,

Xiao Wu might really have stolen the file bag, but Qi, fearing responsibility, might have fabricated a fake file bag and sent it up.

This possibility also exists. So you should press Qi for answers; once you clarify things with him, it will be easy to handle.

Upon hearing Li Ming's words, I happily clapped my hands,

"Brother, after years in the bureaucracy, I've become seasoned; your analysis is very clear and detailed. Now I can only insist that the report materials are genuine. I have not falsified anything.

If I now go submit the genuine materials, Kong Shi will not believe me either.

He surely is now doubting how sincere I am toward him.

This matter is easily settled; I will now have Shi Yong contact Qi, urging him to return to the company quickly. Shi Yong and I will thoroughly question this guy.

Let's see what he will say.

Li Ming said, "I feel this guy is problematic; if Xiao Wu steals such things and then possibly fakes them, how will he survive in the Martial World later?

Who would still hire him to handle matters? The righteousness of the Martial World is valued even more than by us.

I also said, "Having known Xiao Wu for many years, I feel he wouldn't deceive me on this matter; he also said he not only stole the file bag but took other belongings of Qi as well. Thus, I will contact Xiao Wu and have him bring back everything he stole.

It will be useful when interrogating Qi."

Li Ming nodded,

"Yes, this way we can also test whether Xiao Wu really stole the file bag or not. This is killing two birds with one stone."

"No, it's three birds with one stone; as for Kong Shi's side, I can also explain that." I took a deep drag on my cigarette and said.

"Brother, I heard from Xiao Long that someone installed an eavesdropping device in your place; do I still need to investigate this?" Li Ming asked.

"No need to investigate; Xiao Long already found out from Nurse Lin that Sun Dajun ordered it installed. If Nurse Lin didn't install it, Sun Dajun would go after her parents. That Sun Dajun is utterly despicable; he needs to be taught a lesson." I said.

"How are you going to discipline Dajun? After all, he's your adopted son. How did he become like this? Sigh, I never expected it. This has a lot to do with Qiao Jie indulging him."

Back then, when Sun Dajun was in high school, he skipped class to go online, and Qiao Jie and I together looked for him at the internet cafe.

Qiao Jie actually knelt and begged Dajun to return to school.

I took one look and thought this kid was done for,

A child who doesn't listen to his mother, and even makes his mother kneel and beg him,

How could there be such a child in the world.

I then said: "It's not just Qiao Jie's fault; I also bear responsibility. I thought my own childhood was bitter, so I didn't want the children to suffer."

After Qiao Jie brought Dajun into the city, that was exactly when our Da Heng Group was developing rapidly,

Money flowed in like water.

Whatever Dajun wanted, I bought it all.

I usually didn't have time to educate him; I thought only by giving him money to spend could I make up for my emotional shortfall toward him. The result is today's situation.

Brother, when there's too much money, it easily harms people.