Chapter 392

Yu Xianzhang had gone abroad with a business delegation in high spirits, leaving me at home to take full responsibility for the work.

It was Yu Xianzhang's first time going abroad; besides being excited, he was also apprehensive. Before boarding the plane, he even called me to instruct me to watch the house well and manage the people. Any major matter should wait for his return to be handled.

After hanging up his call, I was furious. Yu Xianzhang, you old fellow, do you still want to remote-control me? You can play the retired emperor if you want, but you have to ask if I agree. What matters need to wait for you to return to handle? By the time you return, the daylilies will have wilted!

I didn't stop to rest and called the Public Security Bureau Director, asking him for people the moment I opened my mouth.

The Public Security Bureau Director's face was full of smiles. I had done a favor for the County Public Security Bureau!

Back then, an article by Chen Meng had made the County Public Security Bureau quite famous. Now, within the Hengyue City public security system, Chunshan County was ranked among the top. After all, Chunshan County had produced a National Outstanding Police Officer.

National Outstanding Police Officer Hao Qiang, after struggling against illness, had survived tenaciously. Now he had returned to his post and was still fighting on the front line in Suxi Town.

"County Magistrate Chen, whatever people you want, I will definitely help you solve it." The County Public Security Bureau Director did not hesitate at all regarding my request for people and agreed readily.

I held up two fingers and waved them in front of him without speaking.

"Two?" the Public Security Bureau Director asked me hesitantly.

"Two people in charge; you help me find the others," I said, tossing him a cigarette.

"Which two?" The Director took the cigarette but didn't smoke it. The Public Security Bureau Director smoked, and he always smoked good cigarettes. When I was still in Suxi Township, I knew that the money he spent on cigarettes every month was equivalent to my monthly salary.

"Hao Qiang and Lao Mo." I didn't allow him to weigh the options and added: "Just those two; I don't want anyone else."

The Director smiled and said hesitantly: "What can those two handle? Station Chief Hao Qiang has always been at a grassroots police station and has never handled a major case; Lao Mo has spent his whole life in the detention center and has never handled a case either. County Magistrate Chen, if you want them, there must be some reason, right?"

"Heaven's secrets cannot be leaked!" I smiled deliberately, appearing unfathomable. Watching the Director's face turn red and then white, feeling extremely awkward, I suddenly had the urge to tease him.

I said: "Must the Public Security Bureau handle cases?"

The County Public Security Bureau Director hesitated for a long time before saying: "If you talk about the Public Security Bureau, it's actually not simple, but if you say it's complex, it is indeed complex."

I asked with a smile: "Where does this come from?"

The Director said: "Our Public Security Bureau belongs to dual management; the local Party committee and government manage it, and the higher-level public security bureau also manages it. With too many mothers-in-law, it's hard to get things done."

"Who manages the administration?"

"The local Party committee."

"And the operations?"

"The higher-level organs."

"If I want to handle a case, do I still need the consent of the higher-level public security organ?" I pressed.

"It depends on the case." The Director sighed and said: "However, County Magistrate Chen, I have no objection to you wanting people, but you must tell me what case you want to handle."

I looked at his panicked appearance and wanted to laugh. I held it in for a long time, but in the end, I didn't laugh out loud.

"County Magistrate Chen, you can't keep me, the Director, in the dark about everything!" He looked at me, his eyes filled with a layer of suspicion.

In fact, the Public Security Bureau Director of an average county usually held the concurrent post of Political and Legal Committee Secretary. The Political and Legal Committee Secretary was a Standing Committee member, a role on equal footing with me, and he didn't need to be subservient in front of me at all. But our Chunshan County was different; since the founding of the country, the County Public Security Bureau Director had never entered the Standing Committee.

Last year, the county public security had a moment of fame because of Chen Meng's report, and it looked like there was a chance to enter the Standing Committee. With such an opportunity, who in the position wouldn't want it?

But after all, he hadn't entered the Standing Committee yet, and precisely because it was at this critical juncture, one slight misstep would mean the dream of entering the Standing Committee would have to be deferred for several more years.

"You must know, and this case must be conducted in absolute secrecy." I said, beckoning him to come over, and asked in a lowered voice: "Do you know Qilin Villa?"

The Director visibly trembled. Several expressions rapidly changed on his face. He stared at me with wide eyes and asked with a trembling voice: "County Magistrate, do you want to move against him?"

"Who?"

"The place you just mentioned."

"Can't move against it?"

He shook his head and said in a hoarse voice: "I'm afraid it's not something we can move against."

"What's the background?" My heart sank. A small villa that made the County Public Security Bureau Director so wary—it seemed the background was not small.

"I'm not very clear on the specifics either. However, when they first came, someone from above had sent word."

"This 'above,' how far above?"

The Director didn't answer me for a long time, and I pressed again: "Not at the Hengyue City level?"

The Director shook his head.

"Central Province?"

He still shook his head and said: "Even higher than that."

My heart suddenly dropped into ice, and I startled myself. It turned out this Eight-Fingered Old Can was no ordinary person. It seemed I had touched a tiger's backside.

"Tell me about it." I calmed my mindset and smiled easily.

"It's hard to say." The Director followed my smile and asked me while counting on his fingers: "County Magistrate, you know Liang Tianxing, right?"

"I know," I said: "The Guangdong boss doing real estate in Chunshan County."

The Director laughed and lowered his voice: "Who introduced Boss Liang?"

Of course I knew it was Guan Peishan, but I deliberately pretended not to know and shook my head.

The Director laughed: "County Magistrate, don't fool me; you definitely know. It's just that you only know the first part, not the second."

I smoked, ignoring him.

"How would Secretary Guan know Boss Liang? He's a Guangdong native; there are so many places in the country to develop real estate, so why did he specifically run to Chunshan County? Our place isn't an economically developed region; to put it bluntly, even in Hengyue City, it's been a county dragging the tail of the cat for so many years—what's worth him coming to develop?" The County Public Security Bureau Director analyzed, frowning, his expression turning serious: "I analyzed it in the past, and in the end, I discovered that it was simply not something a person like me could think about."

"That powerful?" I smiled half-heartedly, gradually understanding some things in my heart.

"This Qilin Villa was introduced by Boss Liang." After the Director finished speaking, he lit a cigarette and took a deep drag.

"So, it has a connection with Secretary Guan?" I topped it off without hesitation.

"I didn't say that." The Director shook his hands nervously.

"Will you give me the people or not?" I asked, staring at him.

The Director hesitated for a long time, sighed, and said: "County Magistrate, it's not that I didn't warn you. If you want people, of course I'll give them to you."

"Then thank you." I stood up to see him out.

The words of the County Public Security Bureau Director made me even more determined to investigate. What exactly was hidden behind this unruly commoner? Someone who could make a County Public Security Bureau Director wary was definitely not a simple person.

I remembered the situation when he came to my office after hearing I wanted foreign exchange, and I remembered his indifferent, foul face; my anger swelled even more. Like a toad puffed up with air, I wanted to croak.

A single Qilin Villa made me lose my composure? I secretly cursed myself: "Useless."

Useless or not, the plan still had to be carried out.

I wanted to take a trip to the Personnel Bureau, but before I could leave, Station Chief Wan burst in, smiling and saying: "County Magistrate Chen, according to your instructions, we started making the programs today."

"Good!" I answered him. This Station Chief Wan had good execution ability, I said to myself.

"Do you want to appear on camera?" Station Chief Wan asked me.

"Forget it." I waved my hand in refusal.

"I think if you appear on camera for this program, the effect will be different." Station Chief Wan was still saying. I understood that this guy was using my tiger skin as a banner. In case the program caused trouble, I would be the one carrying the blame. How could I not see through his intentions!

"It won't be any different." I continued to refuse: "You news media have a role in public opinion supervision. You are the experts on how to make programs. There's no need for us to point fingers."

Station Chief Wan had no choice but to smile hypocritically. He walked to the door, turned back, and handed me a report.

I took a look; it was a request to solve the funding for the television station's program production. A fire suddenly rose in my heart.

"Before the troops move, the provisions must go first." Station Chief Wan laughed: "Our station is suffering."

"Where did all your advertising revenue for the year go?" I was extremely angry, but I tried my best to suppress my emotions; my voice wasn't high, but it revealed serious dissatisfaction.

Station Chief Wan didn't care about my anger at all; he still laughed and tapped the report: "County Magistrate, you know, whatever work you do now, you have to feed them first. Besides, this program is a thankless task; even if we wanted to get some sponsorship, there's no way."

Fine! You're forcing my hand! I said in my heart, picking up the pen and signing my name.

The television station's play hadn't even started, and I had already paid over a hundred thousand in expenses. With fire in my heart and nowhere to vent, I paced around the room like a trapped beast.

Whenever I lost my composure, the first person I thought of was always my Aunt.

I grabbed the phone and asked my Aunt: "Where are you, Aunt?"

My Aunt was in high spirits on the phone; she didn't tell me where she was, only repeating: "The report has been approved, it's been approved. We are saved."

The report my Aunt mentioned was the compensation report for the expressway. I had privately asked Engineer Gu about this report; if it were approved, how much less would my Aunt's Luqiao Company have to pay?

Engineer Gu told me that if it were approved, not only would there be no "less to pay," but they would actually earn quite a bit.

No wonder my Aunt was so happy!

I had personally sought out Bureau Chief Chen Yazhi for this report after returning from Central Province.

At the time, she didn't give me an answer; I didn't expect it to be approved now. It seems my prospective mother-in-law would give up anything for my sake.

Since my Aunt's heart disease was cured, I was naturally happy, and the previous unpleasantness was swept away. Damn it, to live life with style, one must know how to find happiness in the smallest details.

Both matters at hand were arranged; I wanted to return to Suxi Town to see what my new city looked like.