Chapter 398: Enemies Meet

Kong Jie planned a 50,000-square-meter plot of land opposite the Common People Meat Industry Limited Company for Chen Yang, to be used to build a Common People Feed Factory.

However, the approval process was again halted by Kong Jie at a critical moment.

Only after Chen Yang inquired did he learn that someone had anonymously reported Kong Jie for using public office for private gain, deliberately selling land at a low price to the Common People Feed Factory in order to reap huge profits.

To clear his name, Kong Jie consulted with Zhou Zhixiang and decided to put this land up for auction.

In Qingshui City, aside from Zhou Zhixiang's people, nobody else would have the guts to anonymously report Kong Jie.

"Chen Yang, don't get involved with this land, or you'll be set up." Kong Jie wasn't afraid of Zhou Zhixiang; he was worried that Chen Yang would be implicated in this incident.

"Senior Leader, whether I can win this plot isn't really important. But I need to know who is opposing me so I can guard against them in the future." Chen Yang actually could guess who was causing trouble, but he still wanted to see it with his own eyes.

"Fine, then you decide for yourself!" Seeing Chen Yang determined to go to the auction, Kong Jie stopped trying to stop him. With the Lin family's influence in Qingshui City, only Zhou Zhixiang could threaten Chen Yang—but the latter happened to be the least able to show his face.

Because the Common People Meat Industry Limited Company wields great influence in Dongjiangsheng, it has now become the calling card of Qingshui City within Dongjiangsheng and even the whole country.

As the top leader of a city, personally cracking down on star enterprises within his own jurisdiction will not only scare off entrepreneurs willing to invest in Qingshui, but will also leave a bad impression on his superiors.

Moreover, Chen Yang is backed by the Hu and Lin families, and he is also a close confidant of Executive Vice Governor Liu Jianghua. Once these forces gather, even the person behind Zhou Zhixiang cannot withstand them.

Of course, Kong Jie could not just stand by. At this crucial moment when he was about to make further progress, someone actually used an ordinary industrial plot to report him. No matter the other party's purpose, it has already touched his bottom line.

Kong Jie had Chen Yang withdraw from the auction just to see who would ultimately benefit. As soon as the target surfaced, he would spare no expense to uncover the mastermind behind it.

On the last day of March, Chen Yang and Liu Shijie participated together in the land auction held by the City Land Bureau.

This auction will offer ten plots in total; aside from the plot Chen Yang has selected for the new feed factory, the other nine are for commercial and residential use.

What surprised Chen Yang was that those nine plots all have excellent locations—they were the hottest real estate developments in Qingshui City in his previous life.

The difference is that those developments were not launched at the same time in his previous life. Now they have been bundled together and introduced to the market early.

Chen Yang and Liu Shijie had just taken their seats when they heard a noisy clatter of footsteps outside. Looking back, they saw Zhang Daguo leading a group of Zhang Group employees and his personal bodyguards striding in.

When he came up to Chen Yang, Zhang Daguo deliberately stopped and said coldly, "You little Chen, you and that woman surnamed Ye stole something from me—I will surely get it back, principal and interest."

Chen Yang feigned surprise and asked, "Director Zhang, have you got it wrong? When did I ever take anything from your Zhang Group?"

Zhang Daguo glared at Chen Yang with a knife‑like gaze, gritting his teeth: "Plot 8 of International New City—I got swindled out of several hundred million. My own son and nephew are still locked up in prison. All of this is thanks to you and that woman surnamed Ye."

Chen Yang smiled and said, "Director Zhang, I must remind you that the International New City plot was taken from me by your son. Even if it ends up back in my hands, it's just returning to its rightful owner. As for your son and nephew breaking the law, that wasn't my doing and has nothing to do with me—blame your own poor parenting."

Zhang Daguo's veins bulged with rage; he wished he could punch Chen Yang to death. "Surname Chen, there's no wall that doesn't let the wind through. I've investigated thoroughly—your behind‑the‑scenes machinations are what got my son and nephew into trouble."

Chen Yang calmly asked, "Director Zhang, you say I'm the mastermind—where's the evidence?"

Zhang Daguo stared blankly—he really couldn't produce any evidence. This was because it was Chen Yang and Zhang Jun's shared roommate Tang Kun who had worked it out, and he also trusted Tang Kun's judgment completely.

Seeing Zhang Daguo unable to produce evidence, Chen Yang couldn't resist teasing: "Director Zhang, you have no proof that I'm the mastermind—surely you must have proof that your son and nephew are innocent? If you do, why are they still locked up?"

Upon hearing that, Zhang Daguo's gaze at Chen Yang turned even more ferocious. He had hired many prominent lawyers from Dongjiangsheng to defend Zhang Jun and Zhang Peng on innocence grounds, but they all lost. The plaintiff's lawyer who thwarted his plans was none other than Qin Qin, the legal counsel of Chen Yang's Common People Agricultural Products Trading Company.

"Surname Chen, if it weren't for you meddling, my son and nephew would already be out. I'll remember this grudge—and someday you'll pay double."

Chen Yang asked Liu Shijie beside him, "Manager Liu, does this count as threatening me?"

Liu Shijie nodded and said, "Chen Yang, if anything ever happens to you, I'll pass Zhang Director's words straight to the police, word for word."

Zhang Daguo glared fiercely at Liu Shijie. "Surname Liu, don't get cocky just because you've come to Qingshui to steal my business. One day I'll make you regret ever starting this."

Upon hearing that, Liu Shijie told Chen Yang, "Did you hear that? If anything ever happens to me, remember to call the police for me!"

Chen Yang nodded in understanding. "Manager Liu, rest assured—if anything happens to you in Qingshui, Director Zhang will surely be implicated."

Zhang Daguo's eyes blazed with fury; his bodyguards surged forward and surrounded Chen Yang and Liu Shijie.

Chen Yang had come alone, while Liu Shijie had brought only a female secretary. If it came to blows, they would surely be at a disadvantage.

However, Chen Yang and Liu Shijie felt no fear at all. Liu Shijie even placed his right hand lightly on the secretary's hand to calm her nerves.

"Director Zhang, fighting in a public place lands you at least ten days in detention. You wouldn't also want to sample prison food like your son and nephew, would you?"

Zhang Daguo immediately waved his hand to signal the bodyguards to disperse. The political and legal system of Qingshui City is the Lin family's turf, and Chen Yang is the Lin family's son‑in‑law—give him ten guts and he still wouldn't dare strike someone in broad daylight; otherwise he might get labeled a gangster.

At that moment, the auction's security personnel also approached, reminding Zhang Daguo's party to observe order in the venue.

Although Zhang Daguo wished he could grind Chen Yang and Liu Shijie to ashes, he could only forcibly suppress his rage.

But he also swore in his heart that today he would not let Chen Yang and Liu Shijie take even a single plot of land.