Chapter 95: A Glimpse of the Juntong Bureau's Methods

Rong Bin glanced at Hong Zhiyou and leaned in to whisper in Old Zhai's ear.

"Truly?"

Zhai Tianren stared at Hong Zhiyou, looking quite incredulous.

Rong Bin nodded.

Zhai Tianren withdrew his imposing aura and laughed heartily:

"Cao Qingming is my disciple.

"He is also a man highly regarded by Mr. Wu.

"Young friend Hong, I was abrupt; please, come inside."

They arrived at the main hall.

Hearing the old master's hearty laughter, the crowd shifted their gazes over.

"Why is it him?"

Chairman Xiang was stunned on the spot.

"A dragon doesn't cross the river without being fierce; I know Old Wu better than you do.

"He is steady and never fights a battle he isn't sure of.

"Sure enough, this kid is no simple character."

Xie Ruo sighed with a frown.

There was a difficult matter at the Chamber of Commerce right now.

It was a pity Chairman Xiang had offended Hong Zhiyou; otherwise, it would have been a good opportunity.

"What's simple or not simple about it?

"I'll meet him again later."

Chairman Xiang slammed his wine glass down, feeling very displeased.

"Everyone, let me introduce someone to you.

"Hong Zhiyou, a friend of my close friend, the great hero Du Xinwu.

"I hope all you fellow travelers will look after him."

Zhai Tianren knew he had come to Xiangdao on business, so he offered a "greeting gift" right at the start.

"Thank you, seniors and colleagues."

Hong Zhiyou imitated him, cupping his hands to salute in all directions.

He knew that with these words from Old Zhai,

basically no one in the underworld or the legitimate circles of Xiangdao would cause him trouble.

After a few brief words from Zhai Tianren, the guests took their seats.

Hong Zhiyou was pulled directly to the first seat at the head of the table.

The guests included the Governor, the elders of the Zhi Gong Party, the current leader of the Sanhe Society, the Rong family, the Zhuang family, and others.

Even the likes of police inspectors and Xie Ruo were not qualified to sit at that table.

At this time, heroes were emerging in succession.

Li, Huo, and He were still just juniors who had just started out.

They probably couldn't even get through the door of the main hall.

Wu Ruirui and Mei Ziyi benefited from Hong Zhiyou's status and sat at a side table further out.

These people were a notch lower in status than Rong Bin.

But in Xiangdao, they were definitely considered wealthy young ladies and gentlemen of standing.

Don't look at Su Jianhua's impressive family background.

He really couldn't sit at this table.

Wu Ruirui knew that from this day on, even without the failing signboard of Su Jianhua, she could have a place in the Xiangdao social circle.

In this regard, she had inherited her father's powerful genes.

She soon mingled with the crowd.

Hong Zhiyou was naturally also in his element.

His wine glass never stopped.

It was all thanks to those ladies in Jinhai who could drink; they had tempered him well.

After the meal,

Zhai Tianren led Hong Zhiyou into an inner chamber.

After some simple small talk, Zhai Tianren smiled:

"Little Hong, I hear you want to see Fu Laorong?"

"Yes," Hong Zhiyou nodded.

"Mr. He is familiar with the situation over in Aodao.

"Mr. He is known as the King of Aodao.

"He once saved Fu Laorong, so he can help introduce you."

Zhai Tianren pointed to a middle-aged man beside him and introduced him.

"Old Zhai is too kind; with you here, who would dare claim to be king?" He Xian stood up and said modestly.

Hong Zhiyou exchanged a few polite pleasantries and then asked:

"Old Master, do you know Peng Tao from Sham Shui Po?"

"Who is Peng Tao?"

Zhai Tianren looked toward another man wearing a Zhongshan suit.

This man was none other than the current leader of the Sanhe Society, Jiang Ci.

"He is my man, the head of the Sham Shui Po district," Jiang Ci said respectfully.

"Did he come?" Zhai Tianren asked.

"He did not," Jiang Ci said.

"You give him a heads-up and get Little Hong's business settled."

"Yes, Old Zhai."

Inside the Mid-Levels villa.

"You say Hong Zhiyou has become an honored guest of Old Zhai?"

Mei Shao put down his wine glass, his face full of disbelief.

"Yes, who would have thought that kid knew Du Xinwu.

"Old Zhai even publicly vouched for him.

"Things have become a bit difficult."

Mei Ziyi said gloomily.

"Did your godfather go today?" Mei Shao stroked his chin, his eyes flickering.

"No.

"He's just a district head; how could he be qualified to attend Old Zhai's birthday banquet?" Mei Ziyi said.

"Did you send Assistant Manager Tu away?" Mei Shao asked again.

"Yes, he should be in Yuezhou by now," Mei Ziyi said.

"Don't panic.

"The upper class has its own way of playing.

"Peng Tao only operates in the Sham Shui Po area; he might not know what happened at the banquet.

"Hong Zhiyou and he don't know each other.

"As long as the money is right, there is nothing that cannot be done."

Mei Shao analyzed calmly.

"That's true.

"Isn't he going to Aodao?

"Fu Laorong and Ye Han are not people to be trifled with.

"The people over there have never been very accommodating.

"It's not even certain if he can come back alive."

Mei Ziyi laughed coldly.

"Hmm.

"Let's watch this good show first," Mei Shao nodded.

The next day.

Hong Zhiyou pushed Wu Ruirui aside and climbed out of bed.

"Why not sleep a little longer?" Wu Ruirui woke up and looked at him with a smile.

"To get you a house."

Hong Zhiyou finished washing up and stood in front of the mirror to put on his shirt.

"You are so good."

"How about I just marry you?"

"My mother was right; you truly are a rare find."

"You rake in the money."

"I manage it."

"A perfect match, isn't it?"

Wu Ruirui stood up and gently tied his necktie.

"Let's forget about marriage."

"I play wild."

"Besides, once money enters this cage, it easily starts acting up."

"You play your game, I'll play mine."

"We'll earn money together."

"If you can't hold back, just take a plane to Jinhai; I'll feed you for free, won't that do?"

Hong Zhiyou pinched her cold, beautiful face and smiled wickedly.

"That's true."

"If we were married, my father would send you to play mahjong."

"Tell me, should I intervene or not?"

"If I don't, I'll be anxious."

"If I do, we lose money."

"I'll let you off, but let's agree: you must accompany me at least three days a month."

Wu Ruirui hugged him and let out a coquettish hum.

"Is three days enough?" Hong Zhiyou smiled wickedly.

"It's enough."

"Before I knew you, I wouldn't even think about it for three months."

"I still prefer... a big mansion!"

Wu Ruirui kissed him and laughed like a money-grubber.

"Let's go, let's go see your parents-in-law," Hong Zhiyou said.

"Who calls the shots in your parents-in-law's house?"

After getting into the car, Hong Zhiyou asked.

"My sister-in-law, I suppose."

"She studied abroad, her father is a lawyer, has some fame in Xiangdao, and is also a councilor."

"You know, lawyers and doctors have very high status here."

Wu Ruirui put on her sunglasses, pressed the gas pedal with her snow-white leg, and started the car.

"I knew it was her."

"However, this time it won't be her turn to call the shots," Hong Zhiyou sneered.

"You killed... you killed her?" Wu Ruirui asked in surprise.

"It hasn't come to that."

"She and her father should be in the hospital right now."

"Just a minor car accident."

Hong Zhiyou said.

"You..." Wu Ruirui looked at him as if looking at a devil.

"Ruirui."

"Do you know what the Juntong Bureau does?"

"Xiangdao is too chaotic."

"So chaotic that everyone has forgotten that the Juntong Bureau is one of the most terrifying and rigorous secret agent organizations in the world."

"When the Japanese were here, they couldn't handle it."

"The British? They couldn't handle it even more."

"For a job like this, for less than fifty US dollars, plenty of people would do it."

Hong Zhiyou explained very calmly.

They arrived at the Su residence.

The two elders of the Su family were frowning.

Their most beloved youngest son had been kidnapped.

Their in-law and daughter-in-law had gotten into a car accident early that morning.

It really was a case of it never rains but it pours.

"Dad, Mom, this is Mr. Hong."

"He has already made contact with Mr. Fu Laorong, and the other party wants two hundred thousand US dollars."

"I have already mortgaged the winery in Yuezhou and exchanged it for eighty thousand."

"There is still one hundred thousand left, and I really can't scrape it together."

Arriving at the Su family's grand Wannan-style landscape-themed old mansion, Wu Ruirui cried about their poverty with tears in her eyes.

"Eldest, how much can you scrape together?"

Father-in-law Su Pingshan asked his eldest son, Su Jianwen, who was standing to the side.

"Dad, my family just had a new baby, and my wife watches the money strictly; where am I supposed to find money for Jianhua?" Su Jianwen also began to cry poverty.

"Then, then what do we do?"

"Mr. Hong, can you beg Mr. Fu to be lenient for a few days?"

"Ruirui, why don't you go borrow some more from your father?"

Mother-in-law Liu Chunxing was anxious and teary-eyed.

"Mom, it's not like you don't know; my father's assets were long ago squandered by Jianhua."

"Otherwise, why would we send Secretary Hong to rescue him?"

"We've tried everyone we could, but it just doesn't work."

"The casino people said that if they don't see the money today, they're going to chop off Jianhua's hands."

"You all need to think of a way quickly."

Wu Ruirui cried helplessly.

"Then, then what do we do?"

"I can't scrape together that much money either," Su Pingshan said miserably.

"How about we sell this old mansion?"

"Secretary Hong knows Station Chief Xie."

"He said there is a Division Commander Liu in Shanghu who is about to retire and wants to come to Xiangdao to enjoy his later years."

"He is willing to pay a high price to buy it."

Wu Ruirui said.

"Secretary Hong, what is this high price?" Su Pingshan asked with a frown.

"What is your expected price?" Hong Zhiyou asked with a smile.

"It has to be at least one hundred and fifty thousand US dollars."

"Last time, a foreign boss from the Hong Kong government offered one hundred thousand, and my father couldn't bear to sell it."

"Selling to you outsiders, shouldn't the price go up a bit?"

Su Jianwen said with a look of disdain.

Don't look at this sister-in-law of his as some Juntong Bureau daughter-in-law.

In the eyes of their local wealthy families, she was nothing.

It wouldn't be as prestigious as marrying the daughter of a lawyer, doctor, or councilor.

"Easy."

"One hundred and fifty thousand it is."

"To ensure the safety of the transaction, I would like to invite Mr. Rong Bin to act as an intermediary; you two have no problem with that, right?"

"After all, I am an outsider; if you take the money and don't hand over the house, what then?"

"In this place, I have no chance of winning a lawsuit."

Hong Zhiyou asked with a smile.

"Which Rong Bin?" Su Jianwen asked.

"The second young master of the Rong family," Hong Zhiyou said.

"Of course."

"With the Rong family as a guarantor, let alone buying a house, you could even buy the Governor's Mansion and it wouldn't be a problem," Su Jianwen agreed readily.

"Dad, Mom, let's sell it," Su Jianwen urged impatiently.

"Alright."

Soon, Hong Zhiyou called over Rong Bin.

Then they went to the agency and completed the house purchase process that same day.

"Mr. Su, this is 150, 00 US dollars, please count it."

Rong Bin took out a suitcase, opened it, and placed it on the table.

Su Jianwen counted the banknotes:

"Dad, 150, 00, not a cent missing.

"Split it."

He rubbed his hands together, impatient.

"Split what?

"Ruirui, didn't you scrape together 80, 00?

"Take this 120, 00 and go redeem the person.

"The remaining 30, 00, Jianwen, is yours."

Su Pingshan sighed and divided the money completely on the spot.

"Got it.

"Dad, you all stay busy, I'm heading to the hospital."

Although Su Jianwen was somewhat displeased, he had at least gained something, so he stuffed the money away and scurried off.

"Dad, then, then I'm off to Aodao to save Jianhua."

Wu Ruirui wiped away a tear hypocritically and left with the money.

Once outside.

Rong Bin glanced at Hong Zhiyou and smiled:

"Well, I've become an accomplice to your swindling."

"Aren't I also an accomplice to releasing a traitor?

"Right now, the students in Jinmen are all threatening to take my head."

Hong Zhiyou laughed.

"That's true.

"In this world, is there any money that is clean?

"Either you are being cheated, or you are cheating others.

"Tossed back and forth, it's all stained with human blood."

Rong Bin smiled.

He had wanted to bring up opening an account, but seeing Wu Ruirui nearby, he dismissed the thought.

"I'll treat you to a meal later."

Fearing he might talk too much, Hong Zhiyou raised an eyebrow and got into the car first.

"Why did you have to give them an extra 30, 00 US dollars?" In the car, Wu Ruirui pouted in dissatisfaction.

"Do you take the Su family for fools?

"If you don't let them bleed a little.

"Would they believe it? Especially that money-grubbing brother-in-law of yours.

"If he didn't see the money, he'd rather Su Jianhua get offed than sell him."

Hong Zhiyou laughed.

"Fine.

"Buying him back for 30, 00 US dollars is indeed a huge bargain," Wu Ruirui said.

In the afternoon.

They arrived in Aodao.

Hong Zhiyou met directly with Fu Laorong.

"Mr. Hong, Mr. He has already sent word to me.

"I have brought the person to you."

Fu Laorong waved a hand, and several subordinates brought Su Jianhua over under guard.

"Boss Fu, thanks.

"If you ever come to Jinmen, just give me a call.

"This is a small token of appreciation for you and Mr. Ye, please accept it."

Hong Zhiyou took out 20, 00 US dollars and gave a stack each to Fu Laorong and Ye Han.

Ye Han patted the money in his palm, smiling without a word.

Right now, in front of Fu Laorong, he did not yet have the standing to speak.

"Hey.

"Isn't this being too formal?

"He Xian once saved my life, and he doesn't trade favors lightly.

"If I take your money, it breaks the rules."

Fu Laorong smiled and refused.

"Rules are made by people.

"The way you negotiate is your rule.

"When negotiating with me, you must follow my rules.

"Boss Fu, take it; I might have to trouble you again in the future."

Hong Zhiyou pushed the money back toward him.

After a brief back-and-forth, Fu Laorong accepted it:

"Brother Hong is a man of class; if you have any business in the future, just speak up.

"If nothing else, I, Fu, can still call the shots in Aodao."

"Thanks."

Hong Zhiyou exchanged pleasantries and led the person to the boat.

They arrived in Xiangdao.

"Ruirui!"

Su Jianhua was just about to get into the car.

Wu Ruirui held him back:

"Jianhua, you take the car behind; I have something to discuss with Secretary Hong."

"Fine." Su Jianhua glanced at Hong Zhiyou, looking quite displeased.

"Why did you give away another 20, 00?

"Do you really think my money grows on trees?

"Fu Laorong is wealthy and powerful; he doesn't need this little bit of money."

Wu Ruirui got into the car, complaining with a pained expression.

"No one ever thinks they have too much money.

"Believe me, if we hadn't given the money, our boat would have sprung a leak halfway.

"He has to give Mr. He face.

"But you and I are nobodies.

"The amount of money is one thing, but not giving it means you don't know the rules.

"If you don't know the rules, you end up feeding the fish."

Hong Zhiyou said.

"Then what about Su Jianhua? I don't want to see him for even another second."

Wu Ruirui interlaced her fingers with Hong Zhiyou's.

"As you wish."

Hong Zhiyou looked at the rearview mirror.

The car behind them turned off at a fork in the road and headed into a mountain path.

Wu Ruirui took a look and swallowed hard:

"My dad, he, do they all do things this way?"

"The Station Chief will only tell you:

"We never saw Su Jianhua; Fu Laorong released him, and he ran off on his own.

"It's that simple."

Hong Zhiyou patted her shoulder.

Compared to the schemes played in Xiangdao.

At the Jinmen Station, if you really wanted to deal with someone, interrogation was a luxury reserved for the high-value targets.

The small fry were just taken out with a black pistol and a 'bang'.

Mi Zhiguo and Tang Simao were offed exactly like that.

If not for the fear that someone might later use this as a pretext to blackmail or retroactively investigate Wu Rui, Hong Zhiyou would never have bothered with so many tricks.

Of course.

To take a step back.

As long as Wu Rui retreats to Yuezhou, no matter how arrogant the Xiangdao police are, they can only stare helplessly.

Within the country, Wu Jingzhong is still very powerful.

……

"Wu Rui, Secretary Hong, where is Jianhua?"

Upon returning to their residence, Mei Shao greeted them.

"After Mr. Fu released him, Jianhua ran off.

"He probably went off to gamble somewhere again.

"Forget about him.

"Uncle, Secretary Hong has another important matter to attend to this time.

"It is about the ownership of the Yuezhou distillery and the Xiangdao company; Father's intention is that they must be transferred to my name."

Wu Rui shed her usual image of an obedient lamb and said aggressively.

"Secretary Hong, is this the Station Chief's intention?" Mei Shao asked with a smile.

"Yes.

"By the way, I have to return tomorrow, and the accounts for the antiques still need to be reconciled tonight.

"Jianhua..."

Hong Zhiyou gave him a look that was not quite a smile.

"Understood.

"I will host a farewell dinner for you tonight.

"At that time, we will handle the transfer of the company and the account books together."

Mei Shao replied as if it were a matter of course.

"Good, thank you for your trouble, Uncle." Hong Zhiyou bowed slightly and smiled.

Watching Mei Shao walk away.

Wu Rui said with some concern: "Zhiyou, are we pushing too hard?"

"A dog won't jump over a wall unless it's desperate.

"I don't have time to play guessing games with him every day," Hong Zhiyou said coldly.

"Don't overplay your hand.

"Uncle knows quite a few people around here," Wu Rui said.

"I won't.

"Let's go, Miss, shouldn't you reward me?"

Hong Zhiyou placed his large hand on her shapely buttocks and said with a roguish grin.

"Of course."

Wu Rui agreed readily and led him into the room.

……

Mei Shao returned to his room, pressed both hands on the desk, his face clouded with gloom:

"Ziyi, we have run into a tough opponent this time.

"Su Jianhua is definitely finished.

"There is no telling what that kid might spill; it seems the antique smuggling business can no longer be covered up.

"Your uncle-in-law is likely going to wipe us out completely."

"Father, why fear him? This is Xiangdao, not Jinhai." Mei Ziyi's malice rose from his heart.

"Exactly.

"While he is not yet firmly established and does not know the bottom line of Peng Tao, let's finish him off.

"At worst, we can pack up the money and go to San Francisco."

Mei Shao's gaze turned cold, and he developed a murderous intent.

"The Juntong Bureau has many enemies in Xiangdao.

"When the time comes, we can pin it on those people, and even my brother-in-law will have nothing to say," Mei Ziyi said.

"Yes, I will call Peng Tao now.

"Tonight, we will send Hong Zhiyou to hell."

As Mei Shao spoke, he picked up the phone and dialed the number:

"Old Peng.

"The plan remains the same; meet at the Old Six Fish Restaurant at the pier tonight."

……

There will be another chapter later, and then it will be time to return to Jinhai.

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(End of chapter)