301: Chapter 301 Returning to Jingjiang to Pay New Year's Greetings

A black Buick business van was driving on the highway, with driver Old Chen keeping both hands on the steering wheel, speed controlled at 110 yards.

The heater was on in the cabin, and no music was playing.

Secretary Zhu Tianhe and Li Juan sat in the second row.

Zhu Wenhao and Su Qinghan sat in the third row.

A family of four, heading to Jingjiang to pay New Year's greetings.

Li Juan took an orange from the storage compartment, peeled it, broke it in half, and turned to pass it to the back row.

"Qinghan, have an orange."

Su Qinghan received it with both hands.

"Thank you, Auntie."

Li Juan turned back and said nothing more.

Secretary Zhu Tianhe leaned back, his head resting against the headrest, his voice kept very low, coming through the gap between the seats.

"Your grandfather is hosting a banquet today, and Li Zhengxing has returned from The Capital as well."

Zhu Wenhao looked at his father's head in the front row.

"This isn't a reunion dinner." He broke off a slice of orange and put it in his mouth. "It's a dinner to divide the family assets."

Secretary Zhu Tianhe turned his head to look at him.

"Your eldest uncle is coming. He's a Deputy Minister in the Jiangnan Provincial Organization Department. It's a deputy position, with Minister Xiao Dingyu suppressing him from above."

"If he wants to get ahead, he needs people he can use in his hands. We've just sorted things out in Linjiang City and Qingjiang County, and he's coming here to reap the rewards."

Secretary Zhu Tianhe rubbed his palms.

"He's using the Li family's banner, saying family doesn't speak in two voices—this is an attempt to co-opt us."

"It's not justified by name, so the words won't carry weight." Zhu Wenhao swallowed the orange. "If he wants power, do we have to give it to him? The foundation in Linjiang City was built by you vote by vote. The account books of Heishi Town are watched by the common people every day. He wants to take it away with a single word? There's no such rule."

After hearing this, the veins on the back of Secretary Zhu Tianhe's hands surfaced.

He had spent half a lifetime as a timid son-in-law in the Li family, never daring to stand out.

"If you occupy these key positions, Li Zhengxing won't have a place to sink his teeth into," Zhu Wenhao said.

The car drove past the provincial border toll station.

On the billboard by the highway, it was painted with red characters on a white background: Eliminate organized crime and root out the protective umbrellas.

Zhu Wenhao stared at those words.

Secretary Lei Zhen was suspended at the Provincial Party Committee, the defense line of the Jingjiang Municipal Public Security Bureau had collapsed, and Bureau Chief Hao Jianguo had surrendered.

The province was undergoing a major purge.

Zhu Wenhao spread out the political map of Jiangnan Province in his mind.

Auditing accounts below, arresting people above.

Without filling the rice bowls of the common people, one cannot sit firmly even in the highest official hat.

The phone in his pocket vibrated twice.

Zhu Wenhao took it out; it was an encrypted message from Director Xu Jie.

[Li Zhengxing returned to Jingjiang two days early, frequently arranging to meet with Qi Tian.]

He stuffed the phone back into his pocket.

Qi Tian was the Executive Deputy Minister of the Provincial Organization Department, a pragmatist promoted by Minister Xiao Dingyu.

Li Zhengxing was bypassing Minister Xiao Dingyu to win over Qi Tian—this was an attempt to pull the firewood from under the cauldron and establish a separate faction within the Organization Department.

"Eldest Uncle is desperate," Zhu Wenhao said to Secretary Zhu Tianhe. "He returned to Jingjiang early and has been asking Qi Tian for tea these past two days."

Secretary Zhu Tianhe frowned.

"Qi Tian is Minister Xiao's man. Li Zhengxing is digging into Minister Xiao's foundation; he's committing a major taboo in officialdom."

"A desperate man seeks any doctor," Zhu Wenhao evaluated. "If he doesn't dig, he has no say in the Organization Department. However, Qi Tian is an old fox; he won't scatter the eagle until he sees the rabbit. With the chips Li Zhengxing has in his hand, he won't easily pick a side."

Su Qinghan sat beside them, listening to the father and son dissect the situation, without interjecting.

She knew how big of a game Zhu Wenhao was setting up.

She reached out and grabbed Zhu Wenhao's left hand.

Zhu Wenhao gripped back.

Her palms were sweaty.

The car entered the downtown area of Jingjiang, with high-rise buildings standing like a forest, and red lanterns hanging on the streets.

Old Chen drove the car toward the western suburbs.

A large compound surrounded by high walls appeared ahead, with barbed wire installed on the top of the walls.

The car stopped in front of the guard post, and two armed police officers with crisp uniforms walked over.

Old Chen lowered the car window and handed out a red pass.

The armed police verified the license plate, glanced inside the car, saluted, and lifted the barrier.

The business van drove into the compound.

Evergreen pines and cypresses were planted on both sides of the road, and the road surface was swept very clean, with no snow to be seen.

Secretary Zhu Tianhe straightened his coat collar and took a deep breath.

Li Juan looked back at him.

"Sister-in-law is from a ministry in The Capital; she speaks without a leak. Speak less and listen more."

"I'm not going to argue over trivial matters," Secretary Zhu Tianhe looked out the window, "but I won't make concessions regarding Linjiang."

The car stopped steadily in front of an old two-story house with a courtyard.

Old Chen shifted gears and turned off the engine.

Zhu Wenhao pushed open the sliding door, got out first, and stood by the car holding the door frame.

Li Juan and Su Qinghan followed, and Secretary Zhu Tianhe got out last.

The door of the old house was wide open, with newly written spring couplets pasted on the door frame.

Butler Wang Jianan stood outside the threshold, wearing a black cotton-padded jacket with front buttons, the buttons fastened tightly.

Seeing the car stop, Butler Wang Jianan walked down the steps.

He didn't go to welcome Secretary Zhu Tianhe, nor did he go to assist Li Juan, but walked straight to Zhu Wenhao's side.

The distance between the two closed.

Butler Wang Jianan looked at Zhu Wenhao, his voice lowered extremely, audible only to the two of them.

"The Old Master met someone he shouldn't have met this morning."

Zhu Wenhao looked at him, his expression unchanged.

Butler Wang Jianan stepped back one step and raised his volume.

"Son-in-law, Eldest Miss, it's windy outside, come into the house quickly. The Old Master is waiting for you in the study."

Secretary Zhu Tianhe walked over.

"Uncle Wang, is the Old Master's health alright?"

"He's doing great. He's just been mentioning you all." Butler Wang Jianan led the way in front.

Zhu Wenhao followed behind, stepping on the bluestone slabs into the courtyard.

Someone he shouldn't have met.

Li Zhenguo had retired for many years; everyone he met had a title.

Butler Wang Jianan used "shouldn't have met" to describe it, indicating that this person was not within the Li family's map, and might even be trouble.

The Central Working Group was coming down to investigate the Lei Zhen case, led by Zhou Rui and Chen Heming.

Was it the advance personnel of the working group? Or someone sent by Lei Zhen's side to plead for mercy?

The heating was on full in the house, and a set of rosewood sofas was placed in the living room.

Li Zhengxing sat on a single-seat sofa, holding a teacup in his hand.

His wife sat beside him, wearing an exquisite cashmere sweater.

Seeing Secretary Zhu Tianhe enter, Li Zhengxing stood up and placed the teacup on the coffee table.

"Tianhe, was the trip smooth?" He came up to greet him, extending his hand.

Secretary Zhu Tianhe shook it.

"Happy New Year, Brother. The road wasn't blocked, it was smooth."

Li Zhengxing turned to look at Zhu Wenhao.

"Wenhao, that mess in Heishi Town has caused quite a stir. I heard you set up some tripartite regulatory account and seized all the fiscal power."

"Happy New Year, Eldest Uncle." Zhu Wenhao's voice was steady. "Heishi Town is poor; the common people need to repair roads and farm the land. Every cent must be spent where it counts. By making the account books public and letting everyone watch, the money won't run away. I'm not seizing fiscal power; I'm enforcing the rules."

After listening, Li Zhengxing smiled.

"Young people have drive. However, the grassroots situation is complex; relying solely on rules won't work, you also have to rely on people."

The sister-in-law stood up and pulled Li Juan's hand.

"Juanzi, you've finally returned. Come, sit here. This is Qinghan, right? She's really pretty. It's hard work working in the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection."

Su Qinghan nodded: "Happy New Year, Auntie."

Secretary Zhu Tianhe looked around.

"Where is the Old Master?"

"Dad is in the study." Li Zhengxing sat back on the sofa. "A guest just came by. They should be finished talking soon."

Zhu Wenhao sat down on the side.

His eldest uncle returned to Jingjiang early, not only looking for Qi Tian, but it seems he had also made full arrangements here at the old house.

He picked up the tea in front of him, the steam rising to his face.

This water temperature was just right.