Chapter 314: Killing crazy

6:00 PM.

The setting sun sank, and the blood-red light spilled onto the bed through the window.

Zhou Gendi snuggled in Hong Zhiyou's arms, her face full of the lingering afterglow of happiness.

"Enough?" Hong Zhiyou pinched her ear and smiled gently.

"Not enough.

"Another hundred times, a thousand times wouldn't be enough," Zhou Gendi pouted.

"Screw you!

"Do you really think I'm made of iron?"

Hong Zhiyou slapped her perky buttocks and cursed.

"I don't care. You don't even see me once a year, I just haven't had enough," Zhou Gendi pouted.

"Next time, next time!"

Hong Zhiyou couldn't be bothered with her.

He nimbly entered the bathroom to wash off the woman's scent, changed his clothes, and prepared to leave.

"Zhiyou, I want to go back to Jinhai."

Zhou Gendi suddenly hugged him from behind.

"Back to Jinhai..." Hong Zhiyou didn't know how to answer for a moment; this wasn't in his plan.

"My mother passed away last winter.

"Zhiyou, I—I have no one left but you. Take me with you, okay?"

She hugged him tightly, begging in a low voice.

Hong Zhiyou turned around, and seeing her face full of tears, he couldn't help but hug her gently:

"Alright, back to Jinhai."

"Really?" Zhou Gendi was overjoyed.

"Really, I promise you, I will definitely take you back," Hong Zhiyou nodded.

"Mm.

"I'll wait for you," Zhou Gendi laughed through her tears.

"By the way, I'm here with Jianfeng this time, and I'm bound to offend people.

"You should move to the hotel for the time being. With Cuiping there, it'll be safer."

Hong Zhiyou patted her head and exhorted.

"I know," Zhou Gendi nodded obediently.

Hong Zhiyou returned to the office building.

Jianfeng, wearing a Zhongshan suit, was eating.

A simple meal of three dishes and one soup.

"Director, dinner so early?" Hong Zhiyou felt guilty for being absent and hurriedly made tea.

"Lunch.

"I was so busy I only just remembered. Look at these materials," Jianfeng pointed his chopsticks at a thick stack of materials on the table.

"Too many.

"If we were to arrest them one by one, more than half of the merchants in Shanghai would have to go in," Hong Zhiyou flipped through them and frowned.

"Yes.

"The roots of Shanghai are already rotten. No merchant is not treacherous, no merchant is not hoarding.

"What do you think?"

Jianfeng said while eating.

"My intention is to beat the tigers and startle the flies.

"As long as we take down a few of the leaders, the flies underneath will naturally have to spit things out."

Hong Zhiyou said.

"Mm, fits my intention perfectly.

"This is also what I'm going to say to them tonight," Jianfeng laughed.

"Has Tang Enbo replied?"

He drank some soup and asked.

"He replied. He's still in Eastern Zhejiang, rushing toward Quzhou," Hong Zhiyou said.

"Good. Telegraph Tang Enbo again, quickly. This concerns the national situation, no delay is allowed," Jianfeng nodded.

"Yes."

Hong Zhiyou obeyed and left.

8:00 PM.

Outside the Central Bank building, luxury cars were like rain.

High officials, key personnel, and wealthy merchants were chatting happily.

This bunch of clever people naturally didn't come to offer their necks for the slaughter.

They came to see what cards Jianfeng was playing, and how Young Master Kong would make his move.

"Young Master Kong.

"What do we do?" Wang Lie rubbed the thick gold chain on his neck and asked in a low voice.

"What is the attitude of those guys in the Chamber of Commerce?" Kong Lingkan said.

"They follow your lead.

"This bunch of grandsons, if you don't make a sound, they don't dare sell even a fingernail's worth of flour," Wang Lie laughed.

"What about Du Weiping?" Kong Lingkan asked.

"I heard he twisted his leg coming downstairs. Boss Du sent Ye Zhuoshan to attend the meeting," Wang Lie said.

"Ye Zhuoshan?

"*Heh*, what twisted leg? The Du family is clearly scared.

"Whatever, I'll take care of Jianfeng first, then deal with Old Du later."

Kong Lingkan saw through this matter at a glance and sneered contemptuously.

"Let's go.

"Let's see what high opinions our Soviet man has."

He snapped his fingers and walked into the conference hall.

Jianfeng was talking to those key personnel.

Kong Lingkan, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, slicked-back hair, and a Western suit, walked in. The originally noisy venue suddenly went quiet, and everyone moved aside in unison.

"Young Master Kong."

Coming to their senses, everyone greeted him one after another.

Jianfeng was instantly left out in the cold.

"Vice Mayor Wang.

"President Zhou.

"..."

Kong Lingkan smiled, waving his hand from time to time, which counted as greetings.

Soon, he came before Jianfeng:

"Cousin, all is well? You came to Shanghai and didn't even go home to sit for a while, staying in this hot and broken building. People might think my Kong family couldn't spare a place for you."

"It's quite good here, at least it's clean," Jianfeng said.

"Mm.

"Almost forgot cousin is a 'Davashili' (Comrade). Shanghai has many people, many ships, many cars, so naturally, it can't be clean. It's normal for cousin not to be used to it."

Kong Lingkan looked at him and smiled.

Just as they were speaking, a waiter walked over with a wine tray.

Kong Lingkan took a glass first.

Jianfeng was just about to take one.

Kong Lingkan's finger hooked the tray lightly; the waiter didn't have time to hold it, and the wine glasses on top crashed to the ground.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." The waiter was terrified and apologized in a panic.

The onlookers were also stunned.

No one expected Kong Lingkan to start sparring with Jianfeng right from the start.

The sparks between the two made everyone feel like they couldn't breathe.

For a time, the conference hall was quiet to the point of being eerie and terrifying.

Jianfeng's face was gloomy, his eyes staring fixedly at Kong Lingkan, a smile on his lips:

"What do you mean, Lingkan?"

"Dog thing!

"Can't even hold a wine tray steady!"

Kong Lingkan curled his lips, laughed coldly, and backhanded a slap toward the waiter's face.

The waiter controlled his instinct, closed his eyes, and didn't dare dodge.

"Young Master Kong."

A hand reached out from the side, firmly gripping his wrist.

It was a handsome, fair-skinned young man looking at him with a smile: "Who doesn't make mistakes?"

"Hong Zhiyou?" Kong Lingkan's eyes half-closed, his pupils revealing a biting chill.

"Exactly."

Hong Zhiyou gave a spring-breeze-like smile and turned to instruct the pale-faced waiter:

"With Comrade Jianfeng here, there's no need to fear even if the sky falls.

"Hurry and change the wine."

"Yes, yes." The waiter soon brought new wine.

Hong Zhiyou held the glass steadily and handed it to Jianfeng: "Director, please."

Jianfeng took it grandly, took a sip, and said to the waiter:

"To err is human, as long as you can change."

Saying this, he turned to look at Kong Lingkan, "Is that right, Lingkan?"

"That depends on how you change.

"If it's easy to change, then change.

"If it's hard to change, then don't change."

Kong Lingkan decisively sealed off the retreat, determined to fight to the end.

"Good!"

Jianfeng laughed coldly, put down his wine glass, and turned to walk toward the stage.

"Everyone, the National Government is in a time of crisis, Jiang is here by the Chairman's..."

Jianfeng went on stage to give a speech.

After the speech, everyone looked at Kong Lingkan.

Seeing the Young Master Kong didn't move, several people who wanted to applaud finally pulled their hands back.

"*Clap, clap! *"

Hong Zhiyou stood up and applauded vigorously. He looked at Long Tao to the side.

Long Tao had a painful expression, but in the end, he bit the bullet, not daring to meet the murderous gazes of Kong and Wang, and gritted his teeth, bowing his head to applaud desperately.

However, it was just the two of them.

"Good!"

In this suffocating atmosphere, Kong Lingkan leaned comfortably in his chair, smiled slightly at Jianfeng, and clapped lightly.

*Clatter, clatter. *

Thunderous applause suddenly erupted from the audience.

"Jiang is here this time not to beat flies, but specifically to beat tigers. Starting from the issuance of the regulations today, anyone who dares to hoard people's livelihood..."

Jianfeng was just reaching the impassioned part when Kong Lingkan stood up and interrupted him:

"Director Jiang, sorry, I have something to do at home, I'll be leaving first."

After saying this, he sneered, turned, and swaggered out.

Once he left.

Wang Lie and several other die-hards followed him out.

Jianfeng looked coldly at these people, making no attempt to keep them.

Hong Zhiyou, however, unhurriedly took out his notebook and recorded the names of those who left.

Watching Kong Lingkan leave, Jianfeng was completely unaffected, waving his hand to continue promoting the economic management regulations and so on.

Half an hour later.

Amidst the muffled applause, Jianfeng returned to the office.

He drank tea, not discouraged.

He knew exactly what kind of person his cousin was.

The only thing he didn't expect was that the waters in Shanghai were far deeper than he thought. Not to mention the business world, even people in the municipal government, the police station, and the garrison command were all following the Kong family's lead.

This made him feel a bit dazed.

Whose world is the Party-State, anyway?

"Director, I've recorded them."

Hong Zhiyou opened his notebook, tore off the list page, and handed it over.

"You have a heart," Jianfeng glanced at it and placed it on the table.

"Director, your subordinate feels that if we don't kill a few fierce tigers, we won't be able to suppress the tigers, leopards, and jackals in these mountains," Hong Zhiyou said.

"Well said.

"This punch will first hit these few tigers.

"However, Tang Enbo's people haven't come, and Xuan Tiewu is faking illness again. We don't have enough manpower, so we have to take it step by step.

"Let's start with him first."

Jianfeng pondered for a moment and circled two names on the paper.

"Tao Qiming, Zhang Yequ.

"Mm.

"These two carry significant weight. If we kill them, we'll have people to use."

Hong Zhiyou said with an admiring face.

It had to be said that Jianfeng still had some ability; at least his demeanor and mentality were like someone who could do big things.

"Call Long Tao in."

Jianfeng ordered loudly.

Long Tao walked in: "Director."

"Go mobilize manpower to investigate the foreign firms, warehouses, and wharves in Shanghai," Jianfeng ordered.

"This..." Long Tao hesitated.

"What's wrong? Are there difficulties?" Jianfeng asked.

"Subordinate is willing to go, and dares to investigate them, I'm just afraid they won't cooperate," Long Tao answered truthfully.

If it were Xuan Tiewu, or a general from the Gendarmerie Command or Secret Service Bureau leading the investigation, it would be better.

With his position, which was neither high nor low, many things were very difficult to handle.

"Investigate first.

"Seal first.

"Try your best to make those who don't cooperate cooperate. If they really can't be made to cooperate, report to Secretary Hong,"

Jianfeng knew this was difficult and didn't force him to be blindly loyal and fight to the death.

"Yes," Long Tao obeyed.

After leaving the office, Long Tao pulled Hong Zhiyou to the side:

"Brother, you've killed me today.

"You guys will pat your butts and leave later.

"My whole family is here. Kong Lingkan and Du Yuesheng won't let me off. Xuan Tiewu is hiding, I really can't play against them."

"You think if you take their side, they'll let you off?" Hong Zhiyou laughed.

"From the moment you were arranged to come here by Mao Renfeng, you were an abandoned piece.

"Besides walking the dark path with Jianfeng to the end, do you have any other choice?

"As the saying goes, wealth is sought in danger.

"Now is Jianfeng's most difficult time, and it's also his first special mission. Adversity reveals true feelings; charcoal in the snow is always more meaningful than flowers on brocade.

"Don't forget, his surname is Jiang.

"Who knows, this might be the opportunity for your ancestral grave to smoke green smoke, understand?

"Do you know what I do?"

Hong Zhiyou asked.

"Secretary... businessman," Long Tao said.

"Businessman, exactly. Look at me, did you learn it?" Hong Zhiyou spread his index and middle fingers, hooked them toward his own eyes, and stared at him.

"Alright, alright.

"I'm convinced by you.

"I'll risk this life of mine!"

Long Tao stared at his domineering, sharp gaze and could only think this way.

"But I only have sixty-some people in internal affairs, and the external staff, once they heard they were sparring with Kong Lingkan, were all scared off.

"I really have no one,"

he said bitterly.

"Orders are dead, methods are alive.

"Don't investigate the warehouses tonight.

"Go and nail down the ironclad evidence for these two people.

"Zhang Yequ, as the Economic Section Chief of the Garrison District, has an inescapable responsibility for the scandal of hoarding and speculation in Shanghai.

"Tao Qiming leaked economic secrets, colluded with the Central Bank to over-issue Gold Yuan notes, and speculated on the stock market.

"For people like these, there's no need to struggle to find evidence.

"You launch a surprise attack, raid his home and office, and you can convict him.

"Once you catch them, I guarantee you'll have a steady stream of soldiers and a steady stream of warehouse intelligence,"

Hong Zhiyou broke the matter down and taught him bit by bit.

"Good, I'll go catch them now," Long Tao said.

"Don't rush.

"Wait a bit longer.

"Take action around one or two o'clock.

"Shatter the darkness with thunder, Captain Long, it all depends on you,"

Hong Zhiyou patted his shoulder solemnly.

"Mm-hmm." Long Tao was washed with confidence, suddenly feeling his future was bright.

Kong family mansion.

"Lingkan, your performance at the meeting today was too much.

"He is your cousin, the Chairman's son.

"His surname is Jiang.

"If you go against him like this, there won't be any good fruit to eat. Is your brain filled with water?"

Kong Xiangxi roared at his absurd and arrogant son.

"Father, did you and Mother rush back from North America just to scold me?" Kong Lingkan said unhappily.

"You still have the nerve to talk back?" Kong Xiangxi said.

"I hoarded supplies for more than half of Shanghai, so much money—does he want me to hand it over just because Jiang Jianfeng says so?

"Fine.

"You tell him to give me 400,000 US dollars, and I can hand it over,"

Kong Lingkan spread his hands, unconvinced.

"Also, he doesn't have the Song family's blood in him. Respect him as a cousin, but don't respect him—he's nothing!" he sneered.

"You!" Kong Xiangxi was about to die of anger.

"Alright.

"Alright, can you two stop arguing as soon as you see each other?

"What's the big deal?

"It's not like people haven't come to investigate before. Who can't shout slogans? In my opinion, Jianfeng is just going through the motions.

"If it really gets noisy, I'll go find my little sister.

"The Chairman wouldn't take action against his own family, would he?"

Madam Kong persuaded.

"Sigh, I hope so," Kong Xiangxi frowned, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.

Song family.

Yin Zhuoran walked quickly into Song Ziliang's residence.

"Mr. Ziliang, Jianfeng and Kong Lingkan 'fought' at the venue today," Yin Zhuoran said.

"That's great.

"I've been waiting for this day for a long time.

"Like this, as soon as Jianfeng takes action, immediately distribute that batch of soon-to-spoil livelihood supplies in the South Warehouse to the market for free to respond to Jianfeng's call.

"This nephew of mine has been crazy for so many years; it's time to let them suffer a bit,"

Song Ziliang swirled the red wine in his glass and laughed with deep calculation.

Night.

Long Tao personally led people to sneak up to Zhang Yequ's villa.

He climbed over.

Amidst a burst of dog barking, he fired several shots to break the lock and kicked his way in.

"Who is it?"

Zhang Yequ, awakened from his sleep, hugged his little wife and screamed in panic.

"By Director Jiang's order.

"Zhang Yequ, you are under arrest,"

Long Tao flashed the arrest warrant and said solemnly.

"Captain Long, you—did you misunderstand?" Zhang Yequ shouted.

"Beat him."

Long Tao waved his hand, and his subordinates grabbed Zhang Yequ and his wife and gave them a round of punches and kicks.

After the beating, once the young couple confessed everything.

They seized the loot on the spot.

The whole process took less than an hour, and they crisply moved on to the next house.

Morning.

Jianfeng walked into the office with high spirits.

Hong Zhiyou was wiping the table.

"Director, good morning," he bowed and asked.

"Zhiyou, let the people below handle these small things," Jianfeng laughed.

"I'm used to it.

"Love the job you do; a secretary should do a secretary's work,"

Hong Zhiyou laughed.

"Mm.

"That's how it should be. Being capable is certainly important, but loyalty and duty are the foundation of being an official.

"Those who deceive the leader above and exploit the people below will never go far,"

Jianfeng praised.

Hong Zhiyou felt secretly ashamed, but his expression became even more respectful.

Jianfeng saw it in his eyes and was very satisfied.

A talent who was capable, knew how to do things, and was also so loyal and upright was truly rare.

No wonder Wu Jingzhong could sit firmly in Jinhai and manage things in an orderly manner.

The two were talking.

Long Tao walked in quickly, his eyes bloodshot: "Director, I've caught the people. They're locked in the detention room on the top floor. Please move to review them."

"Good.

"Captain Long has worked hard,"

Jianfeng was overjoyed and called Hong Zhiyou to go to the top floor together.

Once upstairs, seven people were locked in three rooms.

Each one was a high-ranking official in Shanghai.

There was the bank's vault director.

The person in charge of the Sales Committee.

"Why did you catch so many?" Hong Zhiyou squeezed his eyes at Long Tao and asked in a low voice.

"Rest assured, not one was caught wrongly.

"I work in inspections; I know clearly who in Shanghai has issues and who doesn't,"

Long Tao answered.

*Brother, you're being a little too forceful... * Hong Zhiyou looked at Jianfeng, who was also thinking in silence.

"Comrade Jianfeng, I'm innocent."

"Director, please, look at the fact that I've shed blood for the Party-State..."

Amidst a chorus of pleas, Jianfeng walked downstairs quickly.

"Director, how to handle them?

"Caught a bit too many,"

Hong Zhiyou said in a low voice.

"Long Tao's sincerity is commendable.

"You two personally review the evidence, quickly nail down the witnesses and evidence, and execute them publicly.

"Kill.

"Kill them all.

"Those who harm the country and the people must not be kept. If we don't stop this crooked wind and evil spirit, the Party-State is in danger,"

Jianfeng instructed solemnly.

"Yes,"

Hong Zhiyou said.

That day, he and Long Tao organized the materials, not even leaving time or opportunity for these seven people to find connections and beg for mercy.

Noon.

The Inspection Brigade escorted several people to a nearby intersection to set up a public trial.

The commoners below were packed like a sea of people.

Hong Zhiyou held a megaphone and first promoted Jianfeng's determination to fight corruption and hoarding.

After reading the evidence.

Hong Zhiyou waved his hand, and the seven were executed by firing squad on the spot.

At the same time.

The high-pitched loudspeakers set up at major shopping malls and street corners, as well as the parading cars, continuously broadcasted the news of Jianfeng's determination to rectify the financial and livelihood markets.

Seven key officials were executed.

For a time, the news of Jianfeng's determination to clean up financial pests and beat tigers spread throughout the Shanghai Bund, and the common people all clapped and cheered.

Newspapers flew to all parts of the country like snowflakes.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 315 =====