Chapter 275

Tonight, the sales director of Southern Medicine Group invited guests; at the wine table, they toasted back and forth, treating the president of First Renmin Yiyuan, Wang Shutong, like an ancestor, fawning over him.

Wang Shutong was in a good mood, his face flushed from drinking.

The drinking was in full swing when the phone suddenly rang.

Hello, who is this?

When he heard the seven words "Anti-Corruption Bureau Lin Dongfan," Wang Shutong's heart jumped in fright; he hurriedly got up from the table and went outside the restaurant to take the call.

His first thought was whether he had been placed on the Anti-Corruption Bureau's investigation list.

He panicked completely.

Lin Dongfan always goes after whoever he targets, giving no face to anyone.

Thinking back.

He did it under pressure, gritting his teeth to help Ding Yuxia forge a paternity test proving that Shang Liang was Shang Keqing's biological son, indirectly helping Xiao Yunce clear his name.

As a result, Lin Dongfan slapped him in the face, landing him with a suspension for investigation, and he nearly lost his job.

Section Chief Lin, after last year's suspension and investigation, I have deeply reflected on my work attitude; do you have any misunderstanding about me?

Wang Shutong explained nervously, completely confused about the situation.

The phone transmitted Lin Dongfan's stern voice: "Cut the nonsense, come to the hospital right away!"

"Okay, okay, okay, I'm coming right away."

After hanging up, Wang Shutong nervously wiped away a cold sweat, not daring to return to the restaurant to bid farewell to the sales director of Southern Medicine Group, and even regretted having come to this meal.

He wondered, which bastard filed this petty report?

I didn't take a single benefit.

I just had a meal!

How did I end up on the Anti-Corruption Bureau's investigation list? Damn, the world is treacherous—I didn't get the lamb but ended up smeared; this time, even jumping into the Yellow River wouldn't wash it clean.

On the way back to the hospital.

Wang Shutong's mood had sunk to utter pessimism.

He drove while calling his wife: "Honey, I've been summoned for a talk by Anti-Corruption Bureau Lin Dongfan. If I don't make it home tonight, I expect they'll come talk to you tomorrow, so please don't say anything rash. Although we're divorcing, we were once husband and wife; I hope you'll show some restraint for the sake of our child…"

At middle age.

The fact that the couple was divorcing didn't make Wang Shutong feel desperate, but today a single phone call from Lin Dongfan left him panic-stricken.

If Gao Peng saw this, he would surely glare with angry eyes.

Gao Number One might not necessarily ask Wang Shutong, "You're not corrupt, why are you panicking?" but he would certainly eye him suspiciously, wondering if he had become hopelessly degenerate, forgetting who calls the shots in Nanzhou!

As the top figure in Nanzhou.

What Gao Peng hates most are people who can't keep their place; your scum's backsides may be dirty, which is forgivable, but if your backsides are seated askew, that's unforgivable.

For example, the head of the Provincial Public Security Department, Chief Qi, is in Gao Peng's eyes nothing but an oblivious fool.

Although the Nanzhou Municipal Party Committee lacks authority to interfere in Provincial Department affairs, he, Gao Peng, is a member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, and standing committee members have the authority to guide the Provincial Public Security Department's work.

However, Chief Qi's performance today left Gao Peng deeply disappointed.

After being chased out of the emergency operating room,

he did not leave the hospital.

He took out his phone and dialed Jiang Huantian of the Provincial Party Committee, opening with a complaint: "Secretary Jiang, when did our Jianglan Province's Public Security Department become a subsidiary of the Anti-Corruption Bureau?"

"What happened? You're so furious."

The voice on the phone was gentle, even carrying a faint smile.

Gao Peng, filled with righteous indignation, told Jiang Huantian: "My younger sister Gao Lu is suspected of a crime, and I am heartbroken too! I have been working on her thoughts, urging her to surrender. Precisely because I pressed her too hard, driving her to death, tonight she has already swallowed poison and killed herself…"

"Gao Lu is dead?"

The voice on the phone sounded astonished.

Gao Peng adopted a sorrowful tone: "Secretary Jiang, I'm not calling you just to vent, but the actions of Lin Dongfan and Chief Qi are simply bullying people too much!"

"What did they do to make you so angry?"

Lin Dongfan and Chief Qi, with a large posse of detectives, burst into my sister's room. They had personally seen that my sister was dead, yet they insisted on suspecting her of faking death. I asked them to show a little face, to let my sister leave this world peacefully, but they insisted on taking her to the hospital for an autopsy; I had no choice but to cooperate with their work.

Has the autopsy result come out?

The result is out; the hospital has issued a death certificate, but Lin Dongfan won't let up! He even publicly threatened me, saying I was obstructing official duties and that they would arrest me, a Provincial Party Standing Committee member, as well.

Did Lin Dongfan really say that?

He's outrageous—there's nothing he dares not say! And our Chief Qi doesn't obey my standing committee's orders either; Lin Dongfan points, and he strikes, utterly baffling! Am I, a Provincial Party Standing Committee member, just a decoration? I think you should report to the Central Authority and relieve me of my post—I can't afford to lose this person!

Comrade Gao Peng, you can't talk like that; first calm down.

Secretary Jiang, I called you tonight just to ask: Is our Jianglan Province really run by Lin Dongfan, or by the Provincial Party Committee?

You're just blowing steam; of course it's the Provincial Party Committee that's in charge.

Since the Provincial Party Committee is in charge, then as a Provincial Party Standing Committee member, can I still direct Chief Qi? As a Provincial Party Standing Committee member, does Lin Dongfan get to arrest whoever he wants?

Give the phone to Lin Dongfan.

Just a moment.

After venting for half a day, what I was waiting for was exactly this sentence.

Gao Peng hurried back to the emergency operating room and saw Lin Dongfan and Chief Qi discussing the technical difficulties of the 'false death' issue; his face instantly darkened.

He shouted at Lin Dongfan: "Section Chief Lin, Secretary Jiang wants you on the phone!"

That shout instantly drew everyone's attention.

Lin Dongfan also frowned at the sound, hesitated for two seconds, then took Gao Peng's phone: "Hello, Secretary Jiang, what are your instructions?"

The phone carried a gentle voice: "Section Chief Lin, while the Anti-Corruption Bureau's stationing in our Jianglan Province is, in principle, something I support and cooperate with, you must not rely on your imperial envoy's immunity to act with impunity. Now that Gao Lu is dead, you should at least take Gao Peng's feelings into account; after all, he is the deceased's family."

Relying on one's imperial envoy status to act with impunity.

Is this a warning or a threat?

Damn, that's interesting!

Lin Dongfan, calm and composed, fired back: "Secretary Jiang, I now suspect Gao Lu faked her death and needs a further forensic examination. I hope you can do some ideological work on Secretary Gao. Since he's involved as a family member, please have him act like one, not flaunt his provincial standing committee title to show off."

With that, Lin Dongfan gave Gao Peng a deliberate smile.

Gao Peng gritted his teeth and said nothing.

Jiang Huan Tian's voice came over the phone again: "The hospital already issued a death certificate, didn't it? Why do we still need a forensic examination?"

"I suspect the hospital staff are falsifying things," Lin Dongfan said bluntly. "Secretary Jiang, if there are no further instructions, I'll hang up now—I still have a lot of work to do."

Hold on, don't hang up just yet.

Secretary Jiang, do you have any further instructions?

Comrade Dongfan, if even my words as the provincial party secretary are ignored, then Jiang Lan will truly become your Jiang Lan, Lin Dongfan—if that gets out, it won't sound good. Please think twice before acting.

That's a rather subtle way of issuing a warning.

What you mean is: if I, Lin Dongfan, don't follow your orders today, act clueless and refuse to back down, you'll make me suffer the consequences.

Secretary Jiang, you've frightened me—goodbye!

Lin Dongfan said his piece and hung up the phone; even if he hung up a second late, he would feel he had let down the one hundred thirty-plus jin of rebellious spirit in his whole body, and would surely be looked down upon by his great-aunt.