0137 146 Do not let the golden goblet face the moon empty.

The location of Fuxian Tower is a geomantically auspicious place.

Shen Yuhe parked the car, and the two walked along the gray stone bricks into the depths of the forest. They encountered many elderly people taking a stroll, young people walking their dogs, and people practicing for the marathon, creating a lively scene. Fuxian Tower occupies a good location because it is surrounded by mountains, with a unique gap connecting to Dianchi Lake, where mountains and water meet, and it faces Fuxian Lake to the east.

Surrounding Fuxian Tower are four hills, resembling coiled dragons and crouching tigers. Upon closer inspection, the location of Fuxian Tower is exactly the same as that of Mount Tai, one of the Five Sacred Mountains.

The two walked and talked.

Shen Yuhe said, "Before I met you in person, Ling Xingzhi had mentioned you. He described you as a witch in the forest, with great supernatural powers and unpredictable mysteries. I didn't take it seriously at first, but after this incident, you are indeed even more amazing than he described."

Zhou Xiye nodded, completely unconcerned about Shen Yuhe's evaluation of him, and instead asked him, "Team Leader Shen, do you prefer mountains or water?"

"The benevolent find joy in mountains, the wise find joy in water, but I don't like either," Shen Yuhe said, looking at the approaching Fuxian Tower. "The world isn't just about mountains and water; there are many other wonders. So... what about Secretary Zhou?"

“I love mountains,” Zhou Xiye said, walking with his head down and a slight smile playing on his lips. “A dream of ruler and subject, an empty name throughout history. But the distant mountains are long, the clouds are chaotic, and the morning mountains are green.”

Shen Yuhe smiled, and the two entered Fuxian Tower. The tower was bustling with people, even more so than outside. A waitress dressed in a beautiful uniform saw Zhou Xiye and Shen Yuhe, paused, and walked towards them.

"I……"

"Secretary Zhou, Team Leader Shen, hello! There are private rooms upstairs. What kind of view would you like to see?" the waiter said to Zhou Xiye.

Zhou Xiye smiled and nodded, "I've never seen the night view of Dianchi Lake before, please arrange a room with a panoramic view." Although she was smiling, she was still a little surprised in her heart—the people in Fuxianlou had indeed recognized all the ancestral tablets of the gods.

Shen Yuhe understood, of course. He didn't say much and followed Zhou Xiye upstairs.

"Please forgive me, although Fuxian Tower is tall, there is no elevator. Please come up with me."

Zhou Xiye didn't mind, but the waitress was wearing high heels. "Don't your feet hurt like that?" she asked, pointing to the heels.

The waiter smiled, glancing down at his shoes. "You'll get used to it... I'll take you upstairs..."

"No need, just tell me which floor it is, and we'll go up ourselves."

The waiter looked hesitant and was about to speak when a pleasant voice reached his ears, "Secretary Zhou, Team Leader Shen, she's not available. I'll take you upstairs!" Another beautiful woman walked out, her hips swaying with a seductive charm.

Zhou Xiye smiled and said, "There's no need to trouble you. We're here to eat. We can go up by ourselves."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Xiye turned and walked upstairs. Shen Yuhe's eyes fell on the woman's waist. The two smiled at each other, and Shen Yuhe nodded before following Zhou Xiye's steps. The smile on the woman's face gradually disappeared. "Tell the manager that two fortune tellers have arrived."

The two entered the private room, where the beautiful scenery of the lake and mountains outside the window came into view.

"Although I am a local from Kunming, I have never seen such a beautiful sight."

Zhou Xiye nodded in agreement, "As the Party Secretary of Kunming, I've never seen anything like it either." She turned to Shen Yuhe, "Tell me, besides the Shen family, who else in Kunming could have such a grand gesture?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Yuhe quickly explained, "Secretary Zhou, you may not know, but the Shen family's prestige in Kunming has long since declined. Not all good things can end up in the Shen family's hands. We're just having a normal chat and meal, please don't try to trap me."

The waiter knocked on the door and came in.

Zhou Xiye smiled, turned around and walked to the table to sit down. "Alright, let's order. What does Team Leader Shen like to eat?"

Shen Yuhe casually ordered a few dishes, while Zhou Xiye only asked for a pot of tea.

"Zhou Xiye, I won't beat around the bush. When did you start planning all this?" Shen Yuhe asked, very curious.

Zhou Xiye rested his chin on his hand, smiling as he looked at Shen Yuhe, "Explain yourself clearly. What kind of plan am I starting? I have many plans, economic ones, political ones, many..."

"Hu Rui and Liu Liangyou, you did this on purpose, didn't you? During the investigation, I went to a farmhouse, and they said that government officials had come to inquire about the situation a long time ago. I think, apart from you, there shouldn't be anyone else."

Zhou Xiye smiled and nodded. The door opened, and the dishes were quickly served. After everyone left, Zhou Xiye didn't rush to speak. Instead, he slowly poured Shen Yuhe a cup of tea.

Shen Yuhe took a sip of tea, the aroma lingering on his tongue. The teacup was empty, and Shen Yuhe swirled it around.

Zhou Xiye lowered his head, took a sip of tea, put it down and looked at Shen Yuhe, "It was probably the morning I met you."

Shen Yuhe wasn't too surprised, and just smiled and said, "I thought you had already started planning when you brought me here... I thought I had the imperial sword."

Zhou Xiye sighed, "I guess so."

That morning, Zhou Xiye rode in Liu Liangyou's car to meet Shen Yuhe at the Provincial Party Committee. When the two got out of the car, everyone assumed that the Kunming Municipal Party Secretary and the Yunnan Provincial Party Secretary had a good relationship, but no one knew what had happened in the car.

As soon as Zhou Xiye got into the car, Liu Liangyou picked up the documents in his hand to read. Zhou Xiye sat next to the door, and the two didn't say much. After driving for a while, Liu Liangyou put down the documents, took off his glasses, and said, "I've read the report from the Municipal Economic Commission. Kunming's economy grew this quarter."

"Thanks to your support."

Liu Liangyou nodded, and the car turned a corner. "You've been here for a while now, are you settling in well?"

"It's a habit. Although Yunnan is located in the southwest, the climate is similar to that of my hometown."

"How's your place? It's been raining lately, and the drainage in my building isn't working well..."

Zhou Xiye nodded. "My neighborhood is the same. The buildings are a bit old, and there might be some drainage issues. I've seen other provinces and cities renovating old neighborhoods. If the problems are significant, we could consider this solution."

Instead of continuing Zhou Xiye's words, Liu Liangyou chuckled and said, "So it turns out that Secretary Zhou doesn't remember things very well. No wonder so many real estate developers are giving you houses."

Zhou Xiye's smile froze for a second. She turned to look at Liu Liangyou, "Secretary Liangyou, what...does this mean?"

Liu Liangyou sighed, "I've been through the same thing. When you're an official, if the water is too clear, there will be no fish. It's normal to accept some gifts." He slowly turned his head and looked at Zhou Xiye. "You're still young. Let me remind you, you need to know your limits."

The car stopped.

The driver opened the car door on Liu Liangyou's side, and he got out, beaming. Zhou Xiye's smile didn't fade, but a hint of murderous intent flashed in his eyes. Yes, murderous intent.

She pushed open the car door and got out. As she watched Liu Liangyou's back, the moment the car door closed, Zhou Xiye's murderous intent spread like wildfire, igniting the wilderness in his heart.

We need to deal with him.

Liu Liangyou walked into the elevator with a smug look on his face. He was just reminding Zhou Xiye to his face, wanting to give Zhou Xiye a warning. This was his territory, and nothing could escape his watchful eye.

But Zhou Xiye didn't think so.

She felt only annoyance towards Liu Liangyou, not resentment. At this moment, Zhou Xiye felt it was time to confront Liu Liangyou; today was a warning, and tomorrow it would be execution.

Don't wait until the enemy is ready before you make your move.

"I don't understand how you planned all of this. I can't find the beginning of this game."

Zhou Xiye twitched the corner of his mouth. "Maybe there won't even be a beginning?"

"Was the agritainment business... your arrangement?"

Hearing this, Zhou Xiye wanted to laugh. "The agritainment business already existed. It wasn't something I arranged, and I'm not that heartless. But it's true that I did investigate before, or rather, I stumbled upon it by chance."

That was a week before Pei Zhiyu left Kunming, and the two went to a farmhouse restaurant for dinner.

Halfway through the meal, Pei Zhiyu went to the restroom and returned with a furious expression. Zhou Xiye was confused. Pei Zhiyu glanced at her and said, "A prostitute came over and asked me if I wanted to hire one. Zhou Xiye, this is your territory, your project. Aren't you going to do anything about this?"

Zhou Xiye slowly put down his beer and kebabs, straightened up, and asked, "What?"

After thinking it over several times, Zhou Xiye understood what was going on. What appeared prosperous on the surface was actually a scene of devastation. She couldn't investigate the agritourism business alone. So she thought of two people: Yan Zhu and Qiao Senxi.

Yan Zhu now works in the tax department, so it's easy for her to check the taxes of companies operating in agritourism businesses. Then there's Qiao Senxi, who used to work at the police station, so he naturally has connections.

Upon hearing this, Shen Yuhe hurriedly stopped him, "Wait, you mean... Qiao Senxi is also one of your people?"

Zhou Xiye nodded, "Yes, but it did take me quite a bit of effort to recruit him."

"That report..."

“He has a criminal record, making him the best candidate to report me.”

"Why not just investigate the agritainment business directly, instead of getting yourself thrown into jail?"

"First, I want to make those old foxes focus all their attention on me. They've disliked me for a long time, and they'd be happier than anyone else if something happens to me; they can't take their eyes off me. Second, after your investigation, I'm found to be innocent, which means the Central Inspection Team is backing me, and what happens after that is none of my business; it's their own problem. Third... I'm afraid I might be in danger. This matter involves many powerful and complex forces. If something happens to me while I'm in the procuratorate, you'll be held responsible, and you won't dare let anything happen to me."

"But...the people from the prosecutor's office don't seem to be...that friendly to you either."

Zhou Xiye nodded earnestly, "So I wrote them all down. After I've dealt with these matters, I will repay the pain I've suffered tenfold."

Shen Yuhe smiled admiringly, "You're so convinced you can still get out?"

"No, I'm gambling. I'm gambling on your conscience, on how much trust the people I've arranged have in me, and on the actions and thoughts of the enemies. But then again, I haven't done anything wrong. The fabricated charges against me won't be too serious, and I should be able to get out in a few years."

Shen Yuhe was at a loss for words, and shook his head with a smile, "Counting on my fingers, there aren't many people in the domestic political circles who dare to act as boldly as you."

Zhou Xiye shrugged.

"Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures."

"There's another thing I'm curious about: why would Luo Yiming's subordinates report Hu Rui?"

"Of course, I'm the one who won them over," Zhou Xiye said. She took a bite of meat and a sip of tea, finding the taste bland. She picked up the white wine on the table, poured out half a cup, and drank the meat and wine.

After Li Mingzhe was shot in the leg, Zhou Xiye said she would visit him. To others, it sounded like just a polite remark, but Zhou Xiye actually went. Li Wei drove, and no one else accompanied him. When they arrived, Zhou Xiye brought a lot of tonics.

It was another mysterious conversation; apart from Zhou Xiye and Li Mingzhe themselves, no one else knew what they talked about.

What did you say?

"It's an exchange of benefits, what else could it be?" Zhou Xiye smiled, reaching out to pour Shen Yuhe a glass of wine as well. "Good wine."

Shen Yuhe took Zhou Xiye's wine glass, stared at the colorless liquid in silence for a long time, and finally tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp. He picked up his chopsticks, asked no more questions, and put some food into his bowl.

Enjoy life to the fullest when you're successful; don't let your golden goblet stand empty before the moon.

All the sages and worthies of the past have perished, only drinkers have left their mark.

The night was pitch black, and the stars were silent.

A black sedan sped past on the side of the road. Not long after, the sound of emergency brakes rang out, the car stopped, and a long-haired woman jumped out of the back seat and vomited in the grass for a long time.

Li Wei handed her tissues and water. Zhou Xiye sat cross-legged by the roadside, took a sip of water, rinsed her mouth, and then poured the entire bottle of water onto her face. Water droplets ran down her hair and into her collar, sticking to her skin, feeling icy cold. She became much more awake and wiped herself haphazardly with the tissues.

After finishing all that, Zhou Xiye was too exhausted to do anything else, so he just sat there, looking up at the sky.

A bright moon hangs in the sky.

In Zhou Xiye's view, this massive political upheaval was nothing more than a humiliation.

I am truly incapable of standing on my own two feet, and have brought this humiliation upon myself.

If someone insults me and I cannot prevent it, I am without strategy.

If someone insults me and I cannot resist, that is cowardice.

It would be shameless not to retaliate against someone who has insulted me.

Those who lack strategy are foolish, those who are useless are cowardly, and those who are shameless are despicable.

One insult has led to constant pressure.

If one person insults me, everyone will follow suit.

"Secretary Zhou, should I help you up?" Li Wei broke the silence.

Zhou Xiye's gaze moved from the moon to his face. After a few seconds, she shook her head. "No need, I can stand up by myself."

She staggered to her feet, walked to the car, and got in, holding onto the door for support.

The setting moon hangs over the mountains, its light fading.

The power of the cauldron is difficult to extend.