Chapter 257 Qin Zheng's "Pledge of Allegiance".
His words were perfectly watertight.
He took all the responsibility upon himself.
However, by using the light words "unintentional" and "oversight," the author cleverly transformed Lin Wan'er, the informant, from a vicious framing person into a "non-professional" who cared about national development but had a faulty memory.
He himself became a young cadre who, though reckless, was willing to take responsibility.
That move of escaping like a cicada from its shell was executed brilliantly.
"You!" Vice Minister Li was both shocked and furious. He hadn't expected Qin Zheng to betray him so completely, but now he had no choice but to lend him this opportunity.
He could only immediately put on a disappointed expression, point at Qin Zheng's nose, and "criticize" him with great distress.
"Foolish! You're so foolish! Comrade Qin Zheng, where has your political sensitivity gone? How could you take hearsay so seriously! Go back and write a profound self-criticism!"
After saying that, he pulled Qin Zheng up, gave Academician Qian and Su Yue an awkward smile, and then hurriedly took his leave as if a tiger was chasing him.
A storm that could have stirred up a horrific upheaval was thus averted without a trace.
Gu Nanxing and Chen Xinyue breathed a long sigh of relief, their backs already soaked with cold sweat.
Su Yue watched Qin Zheng's departing figure, lost in thought.
Qin Zheng was offering her a "pledge of allegiance".
In this way, he clearly stated his position: he would not be a die-hard fan of Lin Wan'er.
This game of chess is starting to get interesting.
That evening, Su Yue was in the guesthouse study recounting the thrilling events of the day with Gu Nanxing when a guard knocked on the door and handed her a folded note.
There was no signature on the paper, only a line of strong, vigorous characters.
"At 9 p.m., on Qianmen Street, at Lao She Teahouse, on the second floor, in the Jingxin Pavilion."
Su Yue held the note up to the lamp, and with a flick of the flame, the note instantly turned to ashes.
Lao She Teahouse, one of the most famous teahouses in Beijing, is a melting pot of all sorts of people and an excellent place for exchanging information.
Jingxin Pavilion is the most secluded and hidden private room in the teahouse.
It's Qin Zheng.
The night was as dark as ink, but Qianmen Street was still bustling with people.
Su Yue changed into an inconspicuous gray cloth dress and walked alone through the noisy lobby. Led by the waiter, she stepped onto the creaking wooden stairs leading to the second floor.
Pushing open the door to the Tranquil Pavilion, a faint aroma of jasmine tea wafts out.
Qin Zheng was already waiting inside.
He changed out of his military uniform and into a white shirt, with thick black-rimmed glasses perched on his nose, making him look more like a refined scholar than a scion of a prominent family struggling in the political vortex.
There was no third person in the private room.
"sit."
He pointed to the mahogany armchair opposite him.
Su Yue didn't stand on ceremony, sat down directly, poured herself a cup of tea, but didn't drink it.
The two remained silent, the atmosphere somewhat awkward.
In the end, it was Qin Zheng who broke the silence first.
He took a brown paper file folder from his briefcase and gently pushed it in front of Su Yue.
There were no unnecessary pleasantries; they got straight to the point.
"This is the next thing Lin Wan'er asked me to deal with: a cooperative project of the Huo family in Beijing. It contains all the dirt on the other party and the points that can be attacked, all of which she provided based on her 'memory'."
Su Yue lowered her eyes, glanced at the file folder, but did not reach out to take it.
Qin Zheng looked at her, his eyes behind his glasses unfathomable.
He continued, "I'm giving it to you as a formal apology for the offense I committed during the day."
He paused, then leaned forward slightly, closing the distance between them.
"At the same time, I also want to make a 'deal' with Comrade Su Yue."
"What deal?"
Su Yue picked up the teacup in front of her, her fingertips tracing the warm rim of the cup. The steam from the tea obscured her face, making it difficult to see clearly.
She didn't touch the manila envelope.
Qin Zheng looked at her, his eyes behind his glasses unfathomable.
"Comrade Su Yue, you are very smart. Smart people don't need to beat around the bush."
He paused, then continued, "I can be your 'eyes' in the shadows, reporting all of Lin Wan'er's movements and schemes to you. This includes, but is not limited to, who she wants to use my connections to contact and what she wants to sabotage."
Su Yue gently placed the teacup back on the table, making a crisp sound.
"It sounds tempting. But why should I believe you?" She looked at him calmly. "What happened today could also be a ruse on your part. You're using a nobody like Vice Minister Li to gain my trust."
"Comrade Su Yue, you overestimate Lin Wan'er and underestimate me, Qin Zheng."
Qin Zheng gave a bitter smile. It was the first time Su Yue had seen a genuine emotion on his face, beyond indifference and scheming.
“I admit, I need her. I need the ‘information’ about the future in her head to help me avoid some deadly traps and seize some fleeting opportunities.”
“But,” he added sharply, “I will never become that 'knife' in her hand, a weapon only interested in revenge. She’s blinded by hatred, her vision is too narrow, and her actions are too foolish. If I were to be tied to her, I would be torn to pieces sooner or later.”
He was surprisingly candid.
"We have a common enemy, but we are not enemies among ourselves."
“You are different from her. You are calm, rational, and skillful, and you have the backing of the Gu and Huo families. You can influence the ‘present’, while she can only talk about the ‘future’ in a vague and uncertain way.”
"Cooperating with you is the most rational and advantageous choice for me."
Su Yue listened quietly without interrupting.
Qin Zheng's words were logically clear, with a clear distinction between advantages and disadvantages, perfectly in line with the behavior of an extremely rational egoist.
He's not turning against his country; he's simply choosing a more powerful partner who can bring him greater benefits.
"Your conditions," Su Yue finally spoke, getting straight to the point.
There's no such thing as a free lunch, and she didn't believe Qin Zheng would show kindness for nothing.
Qin Zheng leaned forward slightly, closing the distance between them.
He looked intently at Su Yue and spoke slowly and deliberately, in a tone that was almost pleading yet left no room for refusal.
"I hope that Comrade Su Yue can do me a favor at this critical moment."
“Provide my father with a medical consultation.”
He laid bare his true intentions in front of Su Yue.
“My father’s health has always been poor, and he has suffered heavy losses in the past few years in the Northwest. I don’t trust the doctors in Beijing. I only trust you, ‘miracle doctor’ Su Yue.”
At this moment, Su Yue's heart finally settled down.
This is Qin Zheng's true "pledge of allegiance".
The perfect bargaining chip that would allow her to completely control him.
She hesitated for a moment, then finally reached out and took the thick brown paper file folder from the table.
"make a deal."
Qin Zheng's tense shoulders relaxed almost imperceptibly for a moment.
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