Chapter 184: Sacrifice the Chariot to Save the General

The police arrived quickly; the person who came was Jiang Han, whom Su Ruo had seen before. Upon seeing Jiang Han, Su Ruo immediately went up to him and said, "Officer Jiang, thank you for coming so late."

Don't be polite; this is our duty.

After exchanging greetings, Jiang Han immediately looked at the detained Shunzi and a few others, as well as the gasoline and explosives.

As a police officer, Jiang Han well knew how serious an accident would be if those explosives detonated.

In his jurisdiction, if such a major incident occurred, he feared even his deputy bureau chief would be dismissed and investigated.

When Jiang Han's icy gaze swept over the three Shunzi, they trembled, crouched on the ground, and dared not utter a word.

I'll take them back for questioning; you should also come back to give statements.

Su Ruo nodded; she also wanted to see whether the three Shunzi could uncover the mastermind behind them, Li Furén.

After arriving at the police bureau, their statements were quickly finished, but Su Ruo and Zhou Feng did not leave; they sat in the bureau's hall.

After Jiang Han finished interrogating the three Shunzi and came out, it was already daylight; seeing that Su Ruo and her companions had not yet left, he was somewhat surprised.

Su Ruo didn't beat around the bush and asked directly, "How did the interrogation go? Did they reveal who was behind this?"

After Su Ruo spoke, worried that Jiang Han might misunderstand, she added, "Officer Jiang, you know my clothing factory— I only bought it not long ago, yet it has suffered one mishap after another; last time, a warehouse was burned down directly."

If the mastermind isn't caught, I will never feel at ease.

Jiang Han understood Su Ruo's worry; his face darkened as he said, "The interrogation results are unsatisfactory. They insisted it was because you refused to give them jobs, bearing a grudge, so they deliberately took revenge."

The three Shunzi knew that having committed such a major act, it would be nearly impossible for them to get out again.

Either way, they were facing death; if they confessed Li Furén's involvement, they would surely suffer retaliation. Better to stay silent and take the blame, for Li Furén would still find a way to provide for their families.

Although Su Ruo had mentally prepared for this outcome, hearing it in person still left her somewhat disappointed.

But it doesn't matter; since the law cannot punish Li Furén, she will take matters into her own hands.

Su Ruo quickly adjusted her mindset, bade farewell to Jiang Han, and then left.

Jiang Han said, "You needn't worry too much; we will continue investigating this case and will increase patrols around the clothing factory during this period."

Su Ruo smiled and nodded at him; regardless, she appreciated Jiang Han's goodwill.

On the way back, Su Ruo and Wei Ming said nothing; Wei Ming glanced at Su Ruo several times, wanting to speak but stopping himself, ultimately saying nothing.

Wei Ming returned to the clothing factory, as he still had many things to do; Su Ruo, meanwhile, went straight to find Zhou Feng, as she needed to discuss this matter with him.

Moreover, Li Furén, on his side, had waited all night for Shunzi and the others to return; when they didn't, he knew something had happened.

That night he was extremely anxious; early the next morning, he immediately sent someone to inquire.

Upon learning that the Chengxi Police Substation had arrested three arsonists the previous night, his legs went weak and he collapsed into his chair.

One must know that this time, Shunzi and company not only set fires but also brought explosives; if they were truly sentenced, not even several heads would be enough to pay for it.

Furthermore, over the years he has had Shunzi and company do more than just this; if they confessed all their deeds, even his father‑in‑law could not save him.

Li Furén was panicking; just then the workshop manager came to him and said that last night the factory's dyeing machines and weaving machines had all been smashed.

Upon hearing this, Li Furén immediately knew it must be Su Ruo deliberately retaliating against him, but he dared not call the police!

Because he feared that if he reported it, he would be dragged into Shunzi's affair—a matter that could cost him his life.

Since the machinery was destroyed, production was impossible anyway; Li Furén had neither time nor inclination to manage production, so he simply gave the workers a holiday under the pretext that the equipment needed repairs.

Li Furén felt uneasy, constantly fearing the police would show up at any moment; in the end he simply fled on the pretext of a business trip.

For now, he just wanted to get through this period.

Upon hearing Su Ruo's words, Zhou Feng's brows knitted instantly; after the previous warehouse fire incident, he had already communicated with Li Furén's father‑in‑law, Lu Laoyezi.

Furthermore, he clarified that the clothing factory was his wife's property.

Lu Laoyezi also promised to keep his son‑in‑law in check, ensuring fair competition going forward and no more underhanded tricks.

Everyone is sensible and mindful of each other's standings; having reached this point, even if Li Furén wanted to do something, he would have to weigh his options.

Zhou Feng had thought the matter was over, never expecting Li Furén to pull such a stunt—truly giving him no face at all.

Zhou Feng immediately called Lu Laoyezi; the latter, a veteran who had seen battle and weathered storms, nonetheless sprang up from his chair upon hearing what Shunzi and company had done.

Although Zhou Feng did not explicitly say that Li Furén was responsible, Lu Laoyezi understood as soon as he heard.

Moreover, who would for no reason go bomb someone else's factory? That's a capital offense.

Lu Laoyezi immediately said he would make compensation and would absolutely not let Su Ruo suffer a loss.

Su Ruo watched Zhou Feng and Lu Laoyezi converse easily; they settled the matter. If she weren't a party to it, she might not have grasped the meaning behind their words, and she couldn't help but admire how, in governance, true talent is required.

At least, having lived two lifetimes, she still couldn't figure it out.

After hanging up, Zhou Feng told Su Ruo, "I'll handle this matter; you go home first. As for whether we should keep pressing Li Furén, that will depend on their sincerity and performance."

Although the three Shunzi refused to confess Li Furén's involvement, if we investigate, we will surely find some clues.

However, Zhou Feng, out of consideration for Lu Laoyezi's side, cannot be too harsh; letting Li Furén off is also possible, depending on whether the other side is willing to make major financial concessions—anyway, Zhou Feng will not let Su Ruo suffer a loss.

Su Ruo nodded at Zhou Feng and then left; after all, this was a contest between Zhou Feng and Lu Laoyezi, and she could not help much here.

After hanging up, Lu Laoyezi immediately called Li Furén; upon learning that Li Furén was on a business trip, he still had questions and angrily smashed his water cup.

Lu Laoyezi's affair this time has blown up so much, and moreover, evidence has been seized; if he does not make substantial compensation and concessions, it is destined to remain unresolved.

The key is how to compensate; his daughter and son‑in‑law certainly cannot be relied upon, so at the crucial moment he must make this decision himself.

Given the current situation, even Lu Laoyezi has no better recourse; to save Li Furén's life, he can only sacrifice the chariot to save the general.