Chapter 375: Zheng Zhiming

To tell the truth, after explaining everything to his current father-in-law, Zhang Ping'an felt a weight lifted; he hadn't been able to find a suitable opportunity to confess over these past few months.

It was fortunate that he used the occasion of his son's wedding to let Li Aiguo find out, which also gave them both a bit of a buffer; luckily, Li Aihua had tipped off Li Laoyezi in advance, otherwise, today would have been a difficult hurdle to clear.

On the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, Zhang Ping'an and Zhong Mingzhu took the children to the Zhong Family residence once more.

"Kid, your two sons' weddings caused quite a stir. Did that old immortal of the Li Family give you a hard time after finding out?"

"Uh, Li Laoyezi is actually quite easy to talk to," Zhang Ping'an said awkwardly; no matter how he answered, he wouldn't please either side.

"Hmph, that old thing can actually change his temper?" Zhong Dingbang looked unconvinced, snorted coldly, and didn't ask further.

Zhang Ping'an felt ashamed; there was likely some history between those two. Although he was curious, it wasn't his place to ask about the elders' affairs.

The group in the main hall was chatting happily when Zhong Zhengguo's voice came from outside.

"Zheng Yeye, Zheng Shu, why have you come?"

"Zhengguo, is your grandfather not home? Or do you have guests?"

"Uh, my grandfather is home, please come in."

Inside the room, Zhang Ping'an raised an eyebrow slightly; it was the end of the year, and everyone was busy at home—who would have time to visit? It was likely aimed at him or Zhong Mingzhu.

Zhong Dingbang was also slightly surprised. Since the incident with Zhong Mingzhu in '65, his contact with the Zheng Family had decreased significantly, usually only meeting at the veterans' gatherings after the New Year.

However, after a moment's thought, Zhong Dingbang knew that Zheng Shenghua had likely come at the instigation of his good grandson, Zheng Zhiming, who probably knew that his daughter had returned.

The two brothers, Zhong Zhennan, exchanged a look, knowing that Zheng Zhiming was likely here with ill intent.

"Ping'an ge..." Zhong Mingzhu looked slightly uneasy at this moment.

"It's fine, don't be afraid."

"Hahaha, it's Zheng! How do you have the time to come sit with me at the end of the year?"

Zhong Dingbang laughed and went out to greet them, followed closely by the Zhong Zhennan brothers, while Zhang Ping'an took Zhong Mingzhu and walked out as well.

"Hahaha, I heard that niece Mingzhu had returned, so I came over to take a look."

"Zheng Shu," (x3)

"Zhong Shu."

"Haha, good. Niece Mingzhu truly has great fortune after surviving a great disaster. This person beside you must be your husband, right?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Greetings, Zheng Lao," Zhang Ping'an stepped forward and said neither servilely nor overbearingly.

The eyes with which Zheng Zhiming looked at Zhang Ping'an were practically spitting fire, while his gaze toward Zhong Mingzhu was lecherous.

His grandfather might not recognize Zhang Ping'an, but he did. Looking at the still-radiant Zhong Mingzhu beside him, Zheng Zhiming hated him even more.

All of this should have belonged to him. It was all that bitch Zhong Mingzhu, insisting on going abroad for further studies, when it turned out she was just going to give birth to Zhang Ping'an's child.

He didn't know the hidden details, but that didn't mean he wouldn't maliciously speculate; it was very likely that the Zhong Family had played their Zheng Family.

Zhong Mingzhu felt afraid and stood slightly behind Zhang Ping'an. Zhang Ping'an also raised his eyes to look at Zheng Zhiming, thinking to himself, "You have already invited your own death."

"Good, a good young man."

Although Zhang Ping'an and his wife looked young, in Zheng Shenghua's eyes, their temperament and the weariness in their eyes could not be disguised.

"Zheng, let's go, let's sit inside."

"No, no, Zhong, I didn't know you had distinguished guests at home. Let's talk another day."

"Very well."

Zhong Dingbang saw Zheng Shenghua and his grandson off and sighed slightly. Zheng's appreciation for Zhang Ping'an just now didn't seem fake; clearly, he didn't recognize Zhang Ping'an.

Although Zheng Zhiming didn't say a word the whole time, Zhong Dingbang saw his expression; he feared that his relationship with Zheng would be hard to maintain from now on.

He was very satisfied with Zhang Ping'an's performance just now; knowing it was the Zheng Family, he still came out to face them with him—at the very least, he was a real man.

"Dad, just now, Zheng Zhiming's expression..."

"Don't pay him any mind. He can't stir up any trouble, but I'm afraid my relationship with your Zheng Shu has come to an end."

"What's wrong, Ping'an?" Seeing Zhang Ping'an looking like he wanted to say something but hesitated, Zhong Dingbang asked.

"Mingzhu, go to the kitchen and give Mother and the sisters-in-law a hand."

"Oh, okay."

After Zhong Mingzhu left the main hall, Zhang Ping'an told Zhong Dingbang about how Zheng Zhiming had once hired people to kill him.

"Is that true?"

Zhong Dingbang was shocked. In his view, Zheng Zhiming selling permits and messing around with women was at most moral corruption and rule-breaking, but hiring a hitman was a violation of national law.

The Zhong Zhennan brothers also couldn't believe it. In their eyes, Zheng Zhiming was a coward who couldn't handle big things; how could he dare to hire a hitman?

"It's true. It was right after Mingzhu went abroad. You can go to the Dongcheng District to pull the files; there are records of it inside."

"I have been investigating this for years. Some time ago, I went to Yun Province to uncover the truth. In the end, the confessions of all four people pointed to Zheng Zhiming."

"He is simply daring and reckless. I really underestimated him."

Zhong Dingbang understood Zhang Ping'an and didn't doubt what he said, but he was increasingly disappointed in Zheng Zhiming and felt it wasn't worth it for his old comrade-in-arms.

"Brother-in-law, those confessions?"

"I'll bring them over for you to see this afternoon." Zhang Ping'an knew that both his brothers-in-law were in the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and valued hard evidence above all else.

"Good."

Although they didn't ask what happened to those people in the end, they had a rough guess in their hearts. They didn't know whether to be happy or worried about this brother-in-law who dared to speak the truth.

With the interlude of the Zheng Family grandfather and grandson, no one had the heart to drink at noon. After a simple meal, Zhang Ping'an took Zhong Mingzhu and the children home.

This meeting with Zheng Zhiming gave Zhang Ping'an a sense of crisis. Upon returning home, he went to the study and called Qian Dahu.

"Dahu, transfer two security teams from Xiangjiang, half men and half women."

The three women had only brought four security guards back this time. They would be staying here for more than half a month, and during that time, they would go to temple fairs and the like; naturally, Zhang Ping'an was worried.

"Understood, Big Brother."

Taking the five people's written confessions out from the space, Zhang Ping'an drove to the Zhong Family again.

"These are the masterminds behind the original case; the ringleader is the older brother of the hoodlum my Si Jie's husband sent to prison back then. Their signatures and fingerprints are all inside."

"Hmm? Are there other hidden circumstances?"

"Not really, you'll know once you take a look."

Zhong Zhennan took the written confessions, and the more he read, the tighter his brows furrowed; these people were simply capable of every evil, and attempted murder was perhaps the lightest crime in their criminal careers.

"Big Brother, take all of these; they are of no use to me anymore."

Zhang Ping'an had initially intended to hand these over to Li Baoguo, but now that there was a better choice, he naturally gave them directly to him.

"Alright."

In the afternoon, when Zhang Ping'an returned home, Zhong Zhenbei went directly to the Eastern City Branch to investigate the '65 major case' that Zhang Ping'an had mentioned.

Li Baoguo was a bit bewildered by Zhong Zhenbei's arrival, but he still took the files for him; that time, they had rounded up a group that had real hardware in their hands, and they had even earned merit for it, so they had a deep impression of the matter.

"Director Li, was this done by Zheng Zhiming?"

"Minister Zhong, we have no evidence." Li Baoguo was startled upon hearing this; unable to grasp Zhong Zhenbei's intent, he could only speak ambiguously.

"Good, I understand." Zhong Zhenbei nodded slightly; he had heard the implication in Li Baoguo's words—that he had suspected him, but there was no substantial evidence.