197: Chapter 197: We can be of one mind, but we cannot cooperate.

Inside a private room at Zhilan Restaurant, the aroma of various exquisite dishes filled the air, accompanied by a hint of the mellow scent of Baijiu. Although Yan Zheng had been very hungry just moments ago, he now had absolutely no appetite. The main reason was that the provincial number one was sitting right in front of him; he didn't dare to move. In front of this person, Yan Zheng felt exactly like a primary school student.

At this moment, when Yan Zheng heard Su Yi say that it was he who had asked Su Ye to call him over, the name of his former leader, Zhu Zhiwen, immediately popped into his mind.

How could Yan Zheng not know his own worth? What Su Yi said just now wasn't that Su Ye had asked him to come, but that Su Yi himself had—that certainly meant he had a request. What could Yan Zheng possibly have that the provincial number one would want? Apart from Zhu Zhiwen, Yan Zheng couldn't think of any matter or person.

It must be said that Yan Zheng was a man with principles and loyalty. In the time that followed, Su Yi didn't say anything, but it seemed as if he had said everything. Yan Zheng felt like he was sitting on pins and needles throughout the meal. It wasn't until the end that Su Yi slowly said:

"Little Yan, when you have time, go pay a visit to Secretary Zhu."

After saying this, Su Yi greeted Su Ye and got into the back seat of a Hongqi sedan bearing the license plate 00001.

Watching the taillights of the Hongqi disappear, Yan Zheng finally looked at Su Ye. The somewhat resentful look in his eyes gave Su Ye goosebumps, and he hurriedly said:

"There's no helping it, Brother Yan. Your call came at such a coincidental time. My Fourth Uncle was sitting right next to me——"

Yan Zheng sighed deeply and didn't say anything. He fished a cigarette out of his pocket and put it in his mouth. Before he could even take out his lighter, a flame appeared in front of him. Looking at Su Ye's ingratiating smile, Yan Zheng rolled his eyes but still leaned in to light the cigarette.

After taking a deep drag, Yan Zheng slowly said:

"Secretary Zhu and I have talked before. In short, the environment within the Provincial Party Committee is currently too complex, and he is under a lot of pressure. Although Secretary Su is the number one, he doesn't have deep roots in Sichuan Province. He doesn't understand many things and is often held back. As for Secretary Yao, although he is the number two, he has cultivated his influence in Sichuan Province for so many years; his protégés and former subordinates are all over the province. Moreover, he has a close relationship with the number one of the provincial government. He has also been struggling with this issue recently."

"As for me, I've known Secretary Zhu for over ten years, but he is a man who is quite set in his ways."

Su Ye knew that Yan Zheng was laying his cards on the table for him. He could go and talk to Zhu Zhiwen, but Zhu Zhiwen wouldn't necessarily listen to him. Furthermore, Zhu Zhiwen was very clear about the situation with both Su Yi and Secretary Yao, and he was already considering it.

Su Ye thought for a moment and suddenly said, "Secretary Yao has no chance."

Yan Zheng was stunned and then looked at Su Ye, not quite understanding what he meant.

Su Ye continued, "My Fourth Uncle was parachuted in; it was the decision of the higher-ups. Brother Yan, why do you think the higher-ups sent my Fourth Uncle down? I've also looked into Secretary Yao a bit before. If I'm not mistaken, after the former number one, Secretary Zhang, took office, his health was always poor, and Secretary Yao was the one handling many things, right? Moreover, Secretary Yao is very close to Liu Hongbo, and also very close to the number one of the provincial government."

Yan Zheng was a bit confused, but he still nodded. This information was known to the upper echelons of Sichuan Province.

Su Ye continued, "The Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial Government can be united in heart, but not in action. Think about it, Brother Yan: if the number one and number two officials of a province are completely unified, what would that look like? How is that any different from a state within a state? Not to mention that a major businessman is also involved."

Upon hearing Su Ye's words, Yan Zheng was jolted awake. Cold sweat broke out on his back. Everyone's attention was focused on the votes of the Provincial Party Committee, and they simply assumed Su Yi's transfer was for him to gain experience—they hadn't thought much about the intentions of the higher-ups at all.

But now, hearing Su Ye put it this way, Yan Zheng felt it made perfect sense. It was just like in ancient times, when an emperor sensed unrest in a region and would send out an imperial envoy. Isn't that exactly what Su Yi is now?

And now, with what Secretary Yao Wanli and the provincial number one are doing—if they were to sideline Su Yi, wouldn't that be a slap in the face to the higher-ups? What are they trying to do? Are they trying to rebel?

"I'm not chatting anymore. I'm going to go see Secretary Zhu Zhiwen first."

Watching Yan Zheng's figure as he hurriedly got into his car, the corners of Su Ye's mouth curled into a faint smile. Some things are clear to the bystander but obscure to those involved. Besides, Su Ye and Su Yi were not without communication; he just happened to know a bit more information than others.

Perhaps—Su Yi also wanted to use Su Ye's voice to tell Yan Zheng. After all, if Su Yi's work in Sichuan Province couldn't be carried out, the higher-ups would also doubt his ability.

Late at night, watching the back of the departing Yan Zheng, Zhu Zhiwen stood at the doorway looking at the pitch-black sky. The expression in his eyes was dark and unclear, but in an instant, it turned into determination, as if he had made a certain decision.

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Inside the Huangchao Nightclub KTV, behind the partition of the first-floor bar, there was a door with a sign that read "Staff Only." Behind the door was an elevator that went straight to the top floor, leading to a private room that served only a certain group, or even a specific person.

This private room was over a hundred square meters in size, and the spaciousness was breathtaking. The floor was covered with top-tier handmade Persian carpets; the soft texture came through the soles of his feet, as if walking on clouds.

Hidden light sources were cleverly distributed in every corner, casting soft and warm light, creating an ambiguous and comfortable atmosphere.

In the center of the room, there was a set of sofas made of top-tier Italy leather; the leather was soft and smooth, warming to the touch. The design of the sofa was ergonomic, and sitting on it felt like being gently enveloped, so one wouldn't feel the slightest fatigue even after sitting for a long time.

The coffee table in front of the sofa was carved from a single piece of high-quality Hetian jade; its warm, moist texture and unique patterns all showcased its preciousness. On the coffee table sat an exquisite crystal fruit platter, filled with fresh fruits from all over the world, with enticing colors and overflowing fruity aromas.

In one corner of the private room, there was an independent bar counter. On the bar counter were displayed various rare foreign spirits: aged whiskies, mellow brandies, and fragrant wines—everything one could ask for.

At this moment, there was no singing or ambiguous atmosphere in this private room; only a few people were sitting there. A middle-aged man wearing an administrative jacket, his eyes filled with rage, was gripping his fists tightly while looking at the thin, middle-aged man opposite him who had a mocking look in his eyes.

"I do not agree. I will not do something like framing others."

A middle-aged man wearing glasses next to him kept trying to persuade him with kind words, saying, "Comrade Deputy Director Huang Hualin, this—General Manager Liu isn't asking you to do anything; he's just asking you to invite a few people to the provincial department to sit for a while. This won't affect anything. If any leaders ask about it later, you can just push all the blame onto me."

Deputy Director Huang Hualin looked at Secretary Yao Wanli with wide, angry eyes: "Secretary Yao, do you know what you are doing? You are breaking the law; this is using public office for private gain. In any case, I will not agree."