Chapter 317 Killing the Chicken to Warn the Monkey
Just as dawn was breaking, there was commotion at the entrance of the military compound.
A black sedan stopped silently, the door opened, and several people got out.
The one leading them was Qian Hao.
Overnight, the once slick-haired young master of Derentang seemed to have been drained of his energy, his eyes sunken, his face ashen, and his suit jacket crumpled and hanging on his body.
Behind him were two middle-aged men carrying briefcases. One looked serious; he was a lawyer. The other wore gold-rimmed glasses and was the chief accountant of Derentang.
Qian Hao, carrying a heavy leather suitcase, walked up to the sentry and spoke in a hoarse voice.
"Comrade, I...I'm here to fulfill my promise."
The sentry picked up the phone to report, and a moment later, Gao Jianjun came out.
He didn't even look at Qian Hao, and simply waved to the lawyer and accountant.
"Bring me the item so I can take a look."
The lawyer and accountant didn't dare to delay and quickly opened their briefcases, handing over stacks of documents.
Equity transfer agreement, confidential ledgers of all medicinal materials from Derentang, supplier list...
Gao Jianjun flipped through the pages very quickly, but read them very carefully.
After confirming that all the documents were exactly as requested on yesterday's note, he closed the document and glanced at Qian Hao.
"Wait."
The door opened and closed again, leaving Qian Hao and his group standing outside.
It was the time for morning exercises in the courtyard.
Many elderly men and women who get up early, as well as some military wives who don't have to go to work, come out to stretch their muscles and bones.
Soon, people noticed Qian Hao kneeling at the gate, and Gao Jianjun's unusual behavior afterwards.
Gao Jianjun and two other soldiers carried a square table and a grand chair out of the courtyard and placed them squarely on the open ground in front of the gate.
What's the purpose of this commotion?
Just as everyone was discussing this, the door to Courtyard No. 1 opened.
Lu Jingyan's tall figure appeared first, and he carefully helped Su Wantang out.
Today, Su Wantang wore a loose-fitting sky-blue long dress, her long hair loosely tied back. Four months pregnant, her belly was already quite noticeable, and she exuded a gentle and quiet temperament as she walked.
But everyone who saw her held their breath involuntarily.
Because her eyes were too cold.
Those beautiful peach blossom eyes were like a frozen lake, without a ripple. When they swept over Qian Hao, who was kneeling on the ground, it was as if they were looking at a speck of dust that was getting in their way.
Gao Jianjun pulled out a chair, and Su Wantang sat down comfortably with Lu Jingyan's help.
Lu Jingyan stood behind her like a silent iron tower, his gaze deep and unwavering, blocking all prying eyes from her view.
Everyone in the compound who was doing their morning exercise stopped what they were doing, formed a circle at a distance, and craned their necks to look in their direction.
This scene is far more exciting than watching a play.
When Qian Hao saw Su Wantang come out, he trembled and crawled a few steps on his knees to the table.
The servants following him shakily brought over a set of tea utensils that had been prepared beforehand and brewed tea on the spot.
Boiling water is poured into the purple clay teapot, and the aroma of tea fills the air.
Qian Hao took the amber-colored tea with both hands, raised it high, and then slammed his knees heavily on the ground.
He roared at Su Wantang, or more precisely, at her protruding belly, with all his might, enunciating each word clearly:
"I, Qian Hao, was blind to your greatness and have offended Mr. Bai Shu and your unborn child!"
"I offer you tea today to apologize, and hope you will forgive me, sir!"
The sound was shrill and echoed throughout the courtyard in the early morning.
The neighbors were in an uproar.
"My God, they really came to apologize!"
"Did you hear that? He even mentioned the baby in her belly. What a despicable thing Qian Hao did!"
"Serves him right! He dared to harm the family members of our soldiers, especially a pregnant woman. He deserves to be shot!"
All eyes were on Su Wantang, waiting for her to accept the cup of tea.
However, Su Wantang did not move.
She didn't even glance at Qian Hao, but instead stretched out her slender fingers and tapped gently on the rosewood tabletop, one tap at a time.
Time passed by, second by second.
Qian Hao held the teacup high, his arm began to tremble uncontrollably, and the scalding tea splashed out, burning the back of his hand red, but he dared not relax for a moment.
Sweat rolled down his forehead, hitting the bluestone slab and quickly spreading into a small water stain.
His body swayed precariously, and his face was as white as paper.
The surrounding chatter gradually subsided, and everyone felt the silent pressure.
This daughter-in-law of the Lu family is truly ruthless.
Just when Qian Hao was about to collapse, Su Wan-Tang's fingertips finally stopped.
She raised her eyes and said something to Gao Jianjun in a calm tone.
"Take it."
Gao Jianjun stepped forward and snatched the teacup from Qian Hao's hand.
Just when everyone thought she was going to drink the tea, Gao Jianjun flipped his wrist and poured the scalding hot tea all over the ground in front of Qian Hao.
"Splash—"
Tea splashed everywhere, emitting white steam.
Su Wantang's icy voice clearly reached everyone's ears.
"Tea, you are not worthy of being offered this."
Qian Hao froze completely.
Then, Su Wantang's second sentence struck him like a thunderbolt.
"The 30% stake in Derentang will be transferred to Sister Lan's name."
Upon hearing this, a figure trembled violently behind a large locust tree not far away.
Lan Jie covered her mouth, trying her best to stop herself from crying out loud, but tears streamed down her face like beads from a broken string.
She thought she was just a pawn to redeem herself, but she never expected that her new master would shower her with such immense wealth!
This is not just about money; it's about trust, bribery, and a shackle that will make her devoted to you forever!
The onlookers in the courtyard were once again shocked.
"What the heck! They're giving away the shares to someone else without charging any money?"
"Who is this Sister Lan? She sounds like a woman."
"That's a brilliant tactic! To truly kill someone, you have to strike at their spirit—that's the kind of thing we have in our No. 1 Courtyard!"
From behind the second-floor window, Lu Zhenguo and Meng Wan also witnessed this scene.
Lu Zhenguo frowned, his expression complex. He could tell that his daughter-in-law's methods were ruthless and experienced, completely unlike a twenty-year-old girl.
Meng Wan sighed softly, but a hint of approval appeared in her eyes.
In chaotic times, harsh measures are necessary. When dealing with these wolves, there can be no leniency. Wan Tang did this to establish her authority and to protect herself.
Downstairs, Su Wantang stood up and took the thick black ledger from Gao Jianjun.
She didn't glance at Qian Hao, who was lying on the ground, again from beginning to end. She turned around and, escorted by Lu Jingyan, walked into the courtyard.
"That's it?"
"It's over, it's about time we finished, everyone was scared to death."
Gao Jianjun walked up to Qian Hao and lifted him up from the ground.
"Get out. If there's a next time, it won't be as simple as kneeling and serving tea."
After saying that, he pushed Qian Hao out the door. The latter's legs went weak and he collapsed to the ground. Then, his two equally terrified subordinates dragged him into the car like a dead dog.
The sensational "tea-serving confession" that shook the entire compound came to an end.
Back in the living room of Courtyard No. 1, Lu Jingyan closed the door, shutting out all the disturbances from the outside world.
He pulled Su Wantang to sit on the sofa, took her hand that had just been tapping the table, and gently massaged her wrist.
"Does your hand hurt?"
Su Wantang shook her head and leaned against his firm chest, her tense nerves finally relaxing slightly.
She didn't enjoy the process of humiliating people; rather, she knew clearly that to deal with someone like Qian Hao, she had to beat him into submission and cripple him completely, so that he would feel fear to the core and there would be no future trouble.
She opened the musty-smelling black ledger and quickly scanned it.
This document contains detailed records of all of Derentang's shady transactions over the years, the recipients of bribes, and the sources of various illicit medicinal herbs.
Suddenly, her fingertip stopped on one of the pages.
The sight of a familiar name instantly turned her gaze cold.
—Health Bureau, Feng Jianguo.
Ye Manrou's uncle was suspended from his post because of the "Dawn" project, but he was reinstated so quickly.
Moreover, the number of times and the amount of bribes he accepted from Derentang were shocking.
Su Wantang's lips curled up silently.
It's like choosing the path to hell when there's one.
She looked up at Lu Jingyan and waved the ledger in her hand.
“Jingyan, our old friend, seems to be living too comfortably.”
The reckoning is just beginning.
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