Chapter 405

The farce at the Municipal Committee Office quickly reached Chen Yang's ears. He never imagined that cutting off Zhang Daguo's hidden assets would trigger a rift between the Zhixin Group and the Zhang Group.

As long as the Zhou brothers, Zhixiang and Zhixin, completely cut ties with Zhang Daguo, the resistance Lin Jianguo would face in investigating the Zhang Group would be much smaller.

To prevent Zhang Daguo from having a chance to make a comeback, Chen Yang had Yexin spread the word in Xingcheng that the Zhixin Group's investment in the Zhang Group was actually meant to exploit Zhou Zhixiang's official convenience for personal gain in Qingshui City.

As soon as this news came out, Zhou Zhixin immediately issued a statement via the Dongjiang Daily, clarifying that the Zhixin Group had only lent part of its funds to the Zhang Group for operational turnover and had not participated in any of the projects the Zhang Group was currently running. The Zhixin Group reserved the right to sue over the rumors being spread externally.

Zhou Zhixiang also voluntarily offered a self-criticism at the Standing Committee of the Municipal Committee, admitting he had failed to restrain his relatives' business conduct, which had created unnecessary trouble for the work of the Qingshui City Municipal Committee and Municipal Government.

At the same time, Zhou Zhixiang made a statement at the meeting, saying he had no vested interests with the Zhang Group and was willing to accept oversight and investigation from the Party and the people at any time.

When Zhang Daguo returned home, what he received was not a call from Zhou Zhixin but the news, via the newspaper, that the other party was cutting ties with him—his mindset instantly exploded.

He ran to the Municipal Committee Office again to seek an explanation from Zhou Zhixiang, but Zhou Zhixiang's secretary had already made preparations, not even letting him through the municipal committee's gates.

This time, Zhang Daguo was completely panicked.

Because once the Zhou brothers cut ties with him, the Zhang Group would have no foothold left in Qingshui City.

In order to cling to Zhou Zhixiang's big tree, he not only offended Lin Jianguo, who held the dual posts of Qingshui City's Political and Legal Affairs Commission Secretary and Public Security Bureau Chief, but also offended Mayor Kong Jie.

If Zhou Zhixiang were no longer his protective umbrella, Lin Jianguo and Kong Jie would certainly settle accounts with him afterward.

And the situation was far worse than Zhang Daguo imagined. After the news spread that the Zhixin Group and the Zhang Group were cutting ties, a person in charge of the Xingyue Bar who had been arrested by the Qingshui City Public Security Bureau immediately confessed that Zhang Daguo was the bar's behind-the-scenes boss.

With this testimony, Lin Jianguo immediately mobilized the municipal public prosecution, judiciary, and law enforcement forces to seal off all of the Zhang Group's assets in Qingshui City.

At the same time, the Qingshui City Tax Bureau urgently launched an investigation, conducting a thorough audit of the Zhang Group's tax affairs over the past few years, ultimately uncovering tax evasion amounting to tens of millions of yuan.

However, just as Lin Jianguo led a team to arrest Zhang Daguo and bring him to justice, the latter suddenly disappeared.

To prevent Zhang Daguo from plotting revenge, Chen Yang had Zheng Yun follow him around the clock, and also instructed Lin Jianguo to arrange protection for Lin Wei's safety.

Then he sent Tang Kun a text message, telling him that if he could provide information on Zhang Daguo, he would reward him with an additional 500,000 yuan in cash.

Tang Kun loves money; faced with the already disgraced Zhang Daguo, he will surely make the choice he deems most correct.

However, Zhang Daguo vanished like smoke. The Qingshui City Public Security Bureau raided many places where he might appear, but found nothing.

By contrast, the court's auction of the Zhang Group's assets went very smoothly. Of the four plots of land Zhang Daguo had bought at the auction, aside from the industrial plot opposite the Laobaixing Meat Industry Co., Ltd., the other three plots and the plot near the former Qingshui City Feed Factory were all snapped up by local real estate developers at the original price.

Such a miraculous outcome—Chen Yang could guess with his toes that Zhou Zhixin was pulling the strings behind the scenes.

Once that money arrived, it was quickly allocated, in the form of debt repayment, first to the Zhixin Group, which had been the earliest creditor.

As for that industrially zoned plot that failed to sell, its starting bid was 15 million. Because it exceeded Chen Yang's budget, he did not participate in the bidding.

However, after the auction ended, Zhou Zhixiang's secretary, via Zhang Chunhua, sent Chen Yang a message hoping he would buy that plot for 10 million yuan.

That 10 million yuan was the price Zhou Zhixiang and Kong Jie had agreed upon after consultation; Chen Yang could only accept it.

Naturally, Chen Yang did this mainly to reduce Zhou Zhixiang's hostility toward him. Since the other party still had one year left in office, playing tricks would bring no benefit to either his or Lin Wei's careers.

And on the third day after Chen Yang purchased that plot, Tang Kun called him, saying Zhang Daguo was hiding in his hometown.

Upon hearing this, Chen Yang immediately relayed the information to Lin Jianguo, who swiftly led a team to Tang Kun's hometown and successfully arrested Zhang Daguo.

Thus, the Zhang Group was utterly destroyed!

What made Chen Yang sigh was that the Zhang Group had collapsed nearly twenty years earlier than in his previous life.

And Tang Kun and Zhao Shunfa—one reported Zhang Daguo, the other reported Zhang Jun—once again made an extraordinary 'contribution' to the downfall of the Zhang Group!

Interestingly, after taking 1.5 million yuan in cash from Chen Yang, Tang Kun was still unsatisfied and hoped Chen Yang would also sign over to him the agency rights for the Laobaixing Agricultural Products Trade in his hometown.

Chen Yang knew Tang Kun's character all too well. Giving him agency rights would not only see him ignore the various regulations of the Laobaixing Agricultural Products Trade Company, but he might also exploit the company's loopholes for personal gain.

Such a person absolutely cannot be cooperated with!

After politely refusing Tang Kun, Chen Yang was summoned by Sun Changqing to the Xingcheng Mayor's Office.

"Chen Yang, I've already heard about your ordeal in Qingshui City. Why not take this opportunity to move your company to Xingcheng? The government can offer you even greater incentives for that plot in Jiangmen Town."

Chen Yang did not directly answer Sun Changqing, but said: "Mayor, Laobaixing Meat Industry Co., Ltd. has only just been established, and its experience in all areas is still insufficient. Moving to Xingcheng now might affect the company's normal operations."

Upon hearing this, Sun Changqing could only temporarily set the idea aside. Laobaixing sausages are currently very popular. If relocating the factory affected production speed, not only would Qingshui City side see protests, but the provincial leadership would likely be displeased as well.

Chen Yang, since you have plans to relocate to Xingcheng, the new factory construction in Jiangmen Town needs to be prepared in advance. Don't wait until the day of relocation to scramble at the last minute.

Chen Yang nodded and said: "As long as the procedures are complete, I will promptly launch the subsidiary's construction project."

Sun Changqing, upon hearing that, happily laughed. After laughing, he said to Chen Yang: "I know you have some grudges with Zhou Zong of the Zhi Xin Group. His relationship with the Party Secretary of Qingshui City will cause you to encounter many obstacles when carrying out work there. But if you relocate all your industries to Xingcheng, even if Zhou Zhixiang personally steps forward, I can also ensure you sleep soundly without worries."

Chen Yang would hardly fail to understand Sun Changqing's hint. But he also clearly knows that the matter of relocating industries will not only be blocked by Zhou Zhixiang and Kong Jie, but the Lin family side will also not agree.