Chapter 1727: The Sad Bai Ji

Li Yongqiang and his gang were going through the procedures; even though Li Yongqiang refused to open his mouth, his subordinates spoke all the words he himself would have said on his behalf.

The subordinates revealed everything they had access to, such as the downstream distribution channels later on, and even dragged out matters like which boss had hired Li Yongqiang to fight for them.

But that was as far as it went. Because the information currently grasped by Mazhi County was limited, and Li Yongqiang's subordinates were not fools, they certainly would not admit to anything detrimental to themselves.

Coupled with Li Yongqiang himself refusing to loosen his grip, it remained unclear whether there were deeper issues further down the line.

Nevertheless, some money had been recovered, far more than from the previous gang, which was a good thing...

Ten days had already passed when Duo Jie returned and informed Wang Yan of the relevant situation.

"It is estimated Li Yongqiang will be sentenced to three years."

"What? Only three years?" Bai Ju could not believe it. "That Daji from before was sentenced to three years; this Li Yongqiang's gang is so much larger, how can it be only three years? I think it should start at five years at least."

Duo Jie shook his head: "I am not clear either; anyway, that is how the county ruled it, saying that Tianduo City provided guidance."

"Guidance? Isn't that plainly indicating he has backing?" Old Han felt even his wine had lost its flavor.

Duo Jie still shook his head: "For related cases in the future, the higher-level courts will all intervene."

Thus, the county could not handle things rigidly, because if one party refused to accept the first-instance verdict and appealed, the case would go to the Intermediate Court in Tianduo City, which would certainly send it back. Therefore, Mazhi County also had to compromise and cooperate.

Judging by the current situation, the waters behind Li Yongqiang were still very deep. Poaching was one aspect, but afterward, other issues were also implicated. Everything uncovered so far was merely what others had thrown out.

Perhaps if the Mountain Patrol Team had not made such a grand spectacle of bringing people back, with rumors spreading throughout all of Mazhi County, things might well have been settled with a mere token gesture and left at that.

Bai Ju also thought of this point; she said thoughtfully, "Looking at it this way, this Li Yongqiang is probably involved in more than just poaching; there may be other issues behind the scenes."

"No need to research it; just look at Li Yongqiang's appearance—what other problems could there be? It is simply murder, arson, and triad activities, doing dirty work for big bosses. This Li Yongqiang is quite a character; isn't it said he knows people even in the provincial capital? He has many connections. Right now, the most urgent matter is that we must fully absorb the lessons from this Li Yongqiang incident."

Wang Yan looked at everyone: "Comrades, that Li Yongqiang is no good person; if the Mountain God Lord practiced lightning techniques, he would probably strike him dead immediately. He is not old, only in his thirties. After serving three years, he will still be in his prime. With a sound body and some strength, he will definitely seek revenge for every slight. Who knows, he might retaliate against us in the future."

"Let him come!" Zha Cuo snorted. "Anyone afraid of him is no man; let us see who is stronger!"

"Exactly! What we are doing is cutting off people's source of wealth; Duo Jie has a bounty of over a million on his head, so how could we fear them?"

He Qingyuan and the others were also indignant, wishing they could go and clash with Li Yongqiang again right now. The central idea summed up was that since they could capture Li Yongqiang once, they had no fear of failing to capture him a second time.

Samba said, "When we catch him again, he will not be as lucky as this time. The Mountain God will punish him."

Zha Cuo gazed at Samba with a distant look, opened his mouth, then silently closed it, puffed out his cheeks, and looked away from Samba...

Wang Yan noticed Zha Cuo's cute manly gesture, smiled gently, and continued speaking: "The lesson I spoke of absorbing lies right here. A fully limbed Li Yongqiang will definitely do bad deeds; he will not give up, he still has the ability to act, and after he gets out, his former subordinates will still fear him.

But if his legs are crippled or his arms broken, rendering him unable to exert strength for work, who will take him seriously? What could he accomplish? Even if he brings a gun before us, before he can fire, his hands will likely tremble first, and he probably won't hit his target. He may even lack the capability to acquire weapons altogether.

What is even more likely?"

Bai Ju said, "It is that before Li Yongqiang comes to trouble us, those people whose weaknesses are held by Li Yongqiang will kill him first to silence him."

"Exactly so." Wang Yan clapped his hands in approval. "Therefore, next time we enter the mountains, when we catch poachers, we must deal with them severely."

"No!" Duo Jie rejected it outright. "We must act according to the rules; once they lay down their weapons and surrender, we cannot torture them further. A few punches and kicks are one thing, but we cannot intentionally cripple people. During the wars of the past, the state treated prisoners of war well; we cannot be worse than the Japanese, nor worse than the Americans."

Duo Jie was a good cadre, a good leader, with solid ideology and his own principles, so his opposition was a normal situation.

Wang Yan had mixed in society for many years, and his moral floor and ceiling were both quite low.

"This makes things difficult; if that won't work, I will practice my marksmanship some more, striving to shatter their kneecaps with a single shot during a fight."

Duo Jie shook his head repeatedly but said nothing else on the matter, instead turning to say, "Go to the county tomorrow; County Head Lin wants to see you."

"What for?"

"It is probably still about the mineral exploration. I am not clear either." Duo Jie also found it quite incomprehensible.

Bai Ju said, "County Head Lin sent you here to explore for minerals, yet after more than a month you have made no progress at all; he will certainly want to ask you what is going on."

"Mineral exploration is meant to generate money; we have already secured several hundred thousand, which achieves the same goal by different paths," Wang Yan replied thus.

Lin Peisheng wanted to open mines to provide jobs for more people, stimulate consumption, and invigorate the internal economy of Mazhi County. Now that money had been brought in from outside, it could also be invested into infrastructure construction, employing more locals to work, which would likewise generate consumption and invigorate the economy, making no difference whatsoever.

The next morning, when Wang Yan met Lin Peisheng, this was exactly what he said.

"Achieving the same goal by different paths is correct, and earning several hundred thousand in a month is also correct, but this is merely quenching thirst with poison wine. Indeed, relying on your excellent marksmanship, you have rendered the poachers powerless to resist, but this is not a long-term strategy.

Have you not entered the mountains for over ten days? Why? Because after dealing with these two gangs, the news spread, frightening off those without much courage. The desperate daredevils are now waiting and watching. The poaching gangs you encounter afterward will mostly be those who do not fear death.

You are also clear about the bounty on Duo Jie; it seems there is now a bounty on you as well. These two deeds done by you, a college student, have been spread far and wide; everyone speaks of you as if you were an immortal. But are you not still flesh and blood like anyone else, merely somewhat more accurate with a gun..."

Lin Peisheng spoke at length, all concerning the grim situation currently faced by the Mountain Patrol Team.

Afterward, he continued, "Therefore, for long-term development, the only way is to find and develop mineral veins. Have you not followed Duo Jie for a while, learning from him to protect Bolamula as well?"

"The earth serves humanity; I understand this clearly," Wang Yan said. "County Head Lin, it is not that I am not exploring for minerals diligently, but that I am only one person working.

It is not a planned, continuous deep exploration around a single point, but rather wandering everywhere in Bolamula with the Mountain Patrol Team, never returning to the same place next time. If I go alone, it is unsafe. Taking other inexperienced people out to explore for minerals together creates a whole host of problems. Leader, the difficulty of the work is immense."

"I should speak with Duo Jie and have him detach a team for you; you can lead them to specialize in mineral exploration. This way, nothing will be delayed. What do you think?"

"That would still mean I am the only one doing the actual work." Wang Yan shook his head, then took out a thick notebook from his bag. "This is the result of my work over the past period; I have marked some possible locations, including specific positions and preliminary observation reports. County Head Lin, you can take this document and arrange for personnel to investigate and confirm each site one by one.

I will remain with the Mountain Patrol Team, moving randomly to conduct preliminary survey work. In this manner, can our work efficiency not be higher? After all, finding mineral veins involves no small element of luck. Only by casting a wide net can we catch more fish, and catch big fish, is that not so, Leader?"

Lin Peisheng flipped through the thick notebook, which contained neat and beautiful drawings, while the running script handwriting was also pleasing to the eye.

"Your handwriting is quite good; you have a foundation in calligraphy."

"The leader has a keen eye; I have been writing since childhood, and after more than ten years of effort, I have achieved a modest success."

"You are not modest."

Wang Yan said, "The people here are relatively simple; good is good, bad is bad. Having dealt with them so much, I have been influenced by them."

"That influence is a good one; we emphasize practical work, not empty talk. Besides, what you wrote is indeed excellent; I dare say no one in our county is better than you. College students are truly different; you are an all-rounder. I heard you even submitted an article for publication?"

"I did not expect you to have heard about that." Wang Yan smiled, showing a hint of shyness.

"It is not just me; I fear the entire county knows. You, this college student, are a prominent figure in our county."

After exchanging such pleasantries for a couple of sentences, Lin Peisheng waved his hand. "Very well, let us proceed as you suggested; I will arrange for people to conduct further exploration in Bolamula later. To accomplish so much in one month, you have truly worked hard."

After a few words of encouragement, Wang Yan was dismissed.

Whether County Head Lin was involved in this Li Yongqiang incident was truly unclear.

In the original drama, Lin Peisheng was considered the mastermind behind the scenes. However, during the same period in the original drama, Lin Peisheng should not yet have been bribed at this point. But now with Wang Yan's arrival, the plot trajectory has already changed considerably. It remains unclear whether Li Yongqeng was working for Feng Keqing, who has not yet appeared, and it is equally unclear whether Feng Keqing has bribed Lin Peisheng.

Today Lin Peisheng sought him out without any hidden meanings in his words; he simply offered exhortations and spoke about the mine prospecting, hoping to establish a long-term source of income.

Wang Yan could not judge what Lin Peisheng was truly like now.

But there was no need to rush; time would provide the answer.

Leaving the government's three-story building, Wang Yan strolled toward Wangmu Supermarket. The place looked just as before: miscellaneous goods piled high, incense burning, visible light streaming in, with smoke and dust dancing within the pillars of light.

"College student." Wangmu smiled brilliantly. "Long time no see. Has your article been published yet?"

"It's only been a few days; I estimate it hasn't arrived yet."

Lin Peisheng saying everyone in the county knew was, of course, an exaggeration. But within the scope of the county town, it was roughly true. There really wasn't much new news here; Wang Yan had told Dean Zhang, Xiao Yan, and everyone in the Mountain Patrol Team, they had relayed the matter to others for amusement, and thus everyone had heard about it.

Wang Yan rummaged a letter out of his bag: "This is from Old He to you."

Wangmu took the letter and asked, "When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow."

"Then when you leave tomorrow, come by here once and help me send a reply back to him."

Wang Yan nodded with a smile, then requested another carton of cigarettes: "Wangmu, when do you think Old He will finally dare to tell you he likes you and wants to marry you?"

Wangmu's smiling face froze, then she shook her head: "He just thinks too much."

"What he thinks about most is your well-being, making you even better."

Wangmu paused for a moment, then her smile became brilliant again as she nodded heavily: "That is indeed the case."

"Then I wish you happiness in advance!"

At this moment, Wangmu felt somewhat shy: "I still don't know how to put it."

"Sooner or later you will be happy anyway. I am the first person to wish you happiness; there will be a second, and a third after me."

Wang Yan left with a chuckle, while Wangmu stood behind the counter, delightfully reading the letter He Qingyuan had written her; it mostly discussed accounting matters, with only a few sentences addressing serious business, expressing concern for Wangmu and her mother-in-law.

On the other side, the mother-in-law, busy with her work, could not help but laugh as well, laughing at the silly girl and the silly man...

"Xiao Yan, it's noon; have a boxed meal."

At the hospital entrance, Bai Ji approached with a sheepish grin, showing concern for Xiao Yan.

"I'm not hungry yet; you eat first," Xiao Yan replied, but her gaze was fixed on a vehicle parked at the entrance of Dean Zhang's home diagonally across the street.

She asked, "Isn't that the Mountain Patrol Team's vehicle? Who has come again?"

"Brother Yan." From this form of address, one could see that Bai Ji already held Wang Yan in high respect. What was even more evident was how much his previous experiences had frightened Bai Ji.

"Wang Yan? When did he arrive?"

"Sometime this morning. He said the County Magistrate Lin was looking for him; he estimated he'll be back soon... Look, isn't that him returning right now?" While Bai Ji was speaking, he saw Wang Yan strolling over from not far away.

"You're here." Before Bai Ji could speak, Xiao Yan had already called out.

Wang Yan nodded with a smile: "Bai Ji made boxed meals; they look decent. Have you eaten?"

"No."

Wang Yan pulled four yuan from his pocket and handed them to Bai Ji: "Three boxed meals."

"Brother Yan, how can I..."

"Aren't you starting a business? How could I take advantage of you? Go get the meals quickly."

Bai Ji had no choice but to agree and went back to fetch the boxed meals.

Xiao Yan said, "Let's go inside too; we'll eat in the office. It's all wind out here."

"Alright."

Immediately, Wang Yan followed Xiao Yan into the hospital, took Bai Ji's boxed meals, and went to the office to eat. Xiao Yan also took out some pickled vegetables she had brought herself and intimately placed them into Wang Yan's bowl.

At this moment, everyone was busy eating; the arrival of the county's prominent figure drew quite a bit of teasing from the doctors and nurses, who also joked about Wang Yan and Xiao Yan.

Seeing Xiao Yan's embarrassment made them laugh heartily. Seeing Wang Yan, the college student rumored to kill people like cutting hemp, also display a slight shyness, made them even happier.

It seemed that the relationship between Wang Yan and Xiao Yan was being solidified amidst this teasing.

Only Bai Ji did not laugh; he stood to the side, silently watching everyone. Mazhi County now had one more heartbroken person...

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