Chapter 646 The best actors are in the same room
Hou Wendong felt a chill in his heart, as if he had fallen into an icy cave. As expected, there were no friends at the dinner table of power, only interests.
Seeing Wang Xinfa's face filled with gloom, almost dripping with ink, Hou Wendong hurriedly stepped forward and said:
"Boss Lu's idea is quite interesting. However, I personally think that Captain Li's car was parked at the entrance of Emerald Garden, which is some distance away from the Special Envoy's villa. There may not necessarily be any connection between the two.
Maybe... just an unfortunate coincidence?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Chenjia slowly took a puff of his cigar and blew out a round smoke ring.
He neither refuted nor agreed, but just maintained a chilling silence.
This reserved attitude is far more unpredictable and disturbing than fierce debate.
Wang Xinfa put on his glasses again, the lenses covering the cold light in his eyes. He smiled faintly and said:
"Boss Lu, what do you mean? Are you doubting Li Shang, or me, Wang Xinfa?"
The last sentence was spoken with a sudden drop in tone, like a draught in the cold winter, instantly lowering the temperature in the room by several degrees.
Li Hanyu's body visibly shrank, and Hou Wendong's heart also rose to his throat.
Lu Chenjia put down his cigar, and the smile on his face instantly faded.
“Member of the Congress, you misunderstood me. How could I have doubted you?
I, Lu Chenjia, have absolute 100% trust in you. We have been working together for so many years, and we know each other very well.
The special envoy from Shangcheng is just a mascot. He has nothing to do with us, let alone any conflict of interest.
So, even if something really happened to the special envoy, I am absolutely sure that it has nothing to do with you."
However, the gloomy look on Wang Xinfa's face did not improve at all because of Lu Chenjia's "compensation". Instead, the color became darker and almost solidified into ice.
Sure enough, the next second he heard Lu Chenjia's tone become sincere, as if every word was meant to help Wang Xinfa "solve his problems":
"Councilor Wang, you are so busy every day. How many important government affairs are waiting for your approval, and how many departments are waiting for your coordination?
Even if you really have three heads and six arms, you can't see through the inner thoughts of every one of your subordinates, right?"
He sighed and tried to say:
"What if... I mean, what if Li Shang did something behind your back... well, something dangerous?
Or, was there any hidden conflict between him and the special envoy in the past? You can't be blamed for not noticing these minor details."
Wang Xinfa pondered for a moment, then sneered:
"Oh! Mr. Lu really flatters Li Shang. He's just a small constable. Even if he can handle some cases, what can he do to the special envoy even if he has ten thousand guts?
He just doesn’t have that ability.”
Lu Chenjia made an expression of sudden enlightenment:
"The councillor is right, I was overthinking it."
He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice.
"I'm just worried... We know Captain Li doesn't have the ability or the motivation, but there are still people who don't believe it, and who want to exploit it."
He paused, then lowered his voice and uttered a name:
“For example… Councillor Zhang Deming’s methods are known best to you.
He loves to make a mountain out of a molehill and spread rumors to attack his opponents. I'm worried he'll take advantage of this opportunity."
The words were not finished, but the meaning was already clear.
Wang Xinfa was so angry at Lu Chenjia's words that his temples were throbbing, but he couldn't vent his anger.
He picked up the teacup and took a sip. The scalding hot tea made the tip of his tongue numb, but it was not even one ten-thousandth of the anger in his heart.
What’s even more hateful is that the implication in Lu Chenjia’s words is not without reason.
He knew Zhang Deming, the political shark, very well. As Lu Chenjia said, once that old man smelled even the slightest possible connection between the "special envoy's disappearance" and "Li Shang's loss of contact", it would be a disaster.
Even if the connection is as fragile as spider silk, the latter will use all his strength to weave it into a noose strong enough to strangle his neck.
The latter would use the mouthpieces they controlled to spread all sorts of true and false, confusing rumors, and then launch tricky questions at the Executive Government meeting;
He would also magnify and distort any groundless clues infinitely, and eventually construct heinous crimes such as "negligence", "connivance" or even "instigation behind the scenes".
Although deep down Wang Xinfa did not believe that he could be brought down by slandering him.
Although he is not as deeply rooted in the government as Zhang Deming, the power he has built up over the years is not something that can be easily broken.
However, he understood one thing better: in many cases, it is not necessary to kill the opponent in the end. The process of attacking itself is a huge consumption and victory.
Dripping water wears away the stone!
Every time a rumor arises, every time public opinion ferments, and every time an inquiry is made, it is sending a signal that "the east wind prevails over the west wind" to the entire power ecosystem.
The officials, big and small, in the Executive Yuan are best at waiting for the wind to come and following it.
Wang Xinfa sneered in his heart. He looked at Lu Chenjia deeply, and said with a hypocritical smile on his face:
"Boss Lu's reminder is not without reason. Zhang Deming is a man accustomed to stirring up trouble. We must be on guard against him. I will pay attention."
He nodded slightly, as if he was truly accepting his dining companion's reminder with an open mind, but the turn in his words carried an undeniable firmness:
"However, it's too early to draw any conclusions now. The most urgent thing is to find the person! Find Li Shang, or find the special envoy!
The truth must be based on hard evidence, not on some people's rhetoric, groundless speculation, and lies.
If Zhang Deming dares to use such fabricated things to accuse me, he should be careful not to break his old teeth and become unable to eat in the future.
Mr. Lu, what do you think? "
Wang Xinfa stared at Lu Chenjia intently. He was talking to Zhang Deming, but his eyes were locked on Lu Chenjia.
Lu Chenjia lowered his head tactfully to avoid Wang Xinfa's burning gaze.
Anyway, Lu Chenjia has already hinted at his meaning, and he naturally has to leave room for the powerful parliamentarians for the sake of face.
The weight of an official's power is often proportional to the extent of his or her stubbornness. For them, admitting one's mistakes is tantamount to destroying their own foundation, so they always stick to their guns and refuse to give in.
But Lu Chenjia is a businessman, and businessmen are the exact opposite of officials.
The profit margin that a businessman can leverage depends precisely on how many humble arcs his bones can be bent into.
Bend over, lower your head, or even crawl on the ground. As long as it benefits you, you will be willing to kneel until you die.
Therefore, Lu Chenjia sneered in his heart:
"Wang Xinfa is still the same as always. He is indeed the most stubborn man in the Executive Yuan. The only one who can match him is Zhang Deming, the man with the smallest heart in the Executive Yuan."
On the other hand, he was terrified and submissive, saying:
"Yes, yes, the councillor is right. I don't understand the investigation and I was talking nonsense."
Lu Chenjia put out his cigar, picked up the tea and took a sip.
Wang Xinfa's expression eased slightly, but he couldn't stop sneering in his heart:
"Businessmen are all cheap bones. They need to be beaten from time to time. Otherwise, they will easily get cocky. They think that just because they can sit at the same table with me, they are on the same level as me. It's ridiculous."
Li Hanyu was like an exquisite background board throughout the whole process, sitting obediently aside with his hands nervously folded on his knees.
She was keenly aware of the invisible swordplay between the two men, but she had no say in the matter and could only carefully observe their expressions.
I secretly complained in my heart:
"Oh, men are all greedy. Even though the meat in the bowl is enough to make them die, they will still fight for a piece of bone in the pot."
On her face, she put on a gentle smile that was just right. She lifted the teapot and poured the amber tea accurately into the blue and white porcelain cups in front of them, while using a soft voice to smooth things over:
"Xinfa, calm down, Mr. Lu is just too concerned.
We are all one family, in the same boat. When the storm comes, we must think and work together. Unity is the right thing to do."
Wang Xinfa, Lu Chenjia and Li Hanyu all picked up the tea bowls and took a sip at the same time. Their eyes met briefly in the air and smiles appeared on their faces.
——Officials, businessmen, bitches!
The three best actors in the world are sitting in a room at this moment, competing with each other in acting skills and performing a...masked feast.
Wang Xinfa accepted Lu Chenjia's apology with a smile on his face. He turned his gaze back to Hou Wendong, who had been standing respectfully beside him, and asked:
"Who's currently managing the on-site investigation and search operations outside? And who's in charge of the police station?"
Hou Wendong was well prepared. He immediately bowed and reported in a clear and steady voice:
"Member, this happened suddenly, and both captains of the police station are currently disconnected and cannot be contacted.
Therefore, the on-site inspection and preliminary investigation will be temporarily led by Commissioner Zheng Geng of the Executive Yuan Secretariat's Mechanical Department."
Hou Wendong paused for a moment and continued:
"However, who will be responsible for hosting this case and which captain or commissioner will be fully responsible... I'm afraid we'll have to wait until tomorrow's regular meeting of the Executive Council for deliberation and agreement by all the council members before the final selection can be finalized."
Wang Xinfa's mind flashed with information related to "Zheng Geng" - a commissioner of the Executive Yuan's Maintenance Department, whose official reputation...is hard to describe in a few words.
In short, he is a "stone in the toilet" with a bad and stubborn temper.
The Jade Garden is a hot potato right now, a huge pit that anyone with a discerning eye can see. Anyone with a little background and knowledge of the ways of being an official will try to avoid it if possible.
Zheng Geng had a very bad reputation, so it was reasonable for everyone to push him out to take the blame.
However, the bad news that followed was a headache:
Zheng Geng did not belong to his faction. Although he could use his status to order him around, it was impossible for him to control him as he pleased.
The relatively good news is:
Zheng Geng did not belong to Zhang Deming's faction, and Zhang Deming's tactics of coercion and inducement were also ineffective on this "stinking stone".
Zheng Geng was an extremely rare outlier in the executive government, which was full of factions. He was a truly "non-factional" official who only cared about his work.
This kind of person has no chance of becoming an official.
Wang Xinfa was a man with a strong desire for control, and he quickly came up with a plan in his mind. Other unimportant matters might be left to Zheng Geng to handle, but not this incident.
This matter is of great importance and Zheng Geng cannot be allowed to handle it. It is too dangerous. To a certain extent, letting someone like Zheng Geng lead the investigation is even more dangerous than letting Zhang Deming's people take over.
After all, Zhang Deming is just bad, but not stupid.
At worst, the two sides can still make deals behind the scenes - compromise, exchange, dialogue, there is always room for mediation.
Officials like Zheng Geng have no idea of "putting the overall situation first" and sometimes the damage they cause is indiscriminate and unlimited.
Wang Xinfa pondered for a moment and made up his mind that at tomorrow's meeting, he must replace Zheng Geng with his own person.
Originally, the person he preferred most was naturally Li Shang. As the captain of the police station and with the reputation of being a "super detective", he would be in charge of the case with the most legitimate rights and the least resistance.
It’s a pity... Li Shang’s life or death is unknown now, and there is no trace of him.
Even if he could miraculously show up at this moment, the possibility of him taking charge of this case is extremely slim because he himself is suspected.
But no matter what, Wang Xinfa must get the person who is in charge of the investigation into his own hands.
Only in this way can he prevent others from throwing dirty water on him to the greatest extent, and manipulate cases to throw dirty water on others.
Of course, this is definitely not easy, and I will have to fight with Zhang Deming again.
As expected, the position of the police chief is still very important, and after this incident, he must push a trusted person to the position.
Wang Xinfa's mind raced as he suddenly caught a detail in Hou Wendong's words and said suspiciously:
"Wait! You just said that both captains couldn't be contacted? Besides Li Shang, who is the other one?"
Hou Wendong immediately replied:
"It's Feng Ju. He was originally just a humble constable in the patrol room. Because he was appreciated by the special commissioner, he was promoted to captain some time ago and is highly regarded by the special commissioner."
He paused briefly, as if recalling more information, and then added:
"His phone has also been disconnected and no one has answered it. Besides, Feng Ju is Feng Mu's father."
Wang Xinfa listened to Hou Wendong's report and did not pay much attention to the last supplement. In his eyes, Feng Ju and Feng Mu were both insignificant people.
What does it matter whether they are father and son? It’s not worth his concern.
On the other hand, Lu Chenjia on the side narrowed his slender eyes slightly and looked at Li Hanyu with a bit of amusement.
Li Hanyu's face showed just the right amount of surprise, as if this was the first time he had heard of this, but this surprise was like ripples on the water, disappearing in an instant.
She quickly restrained her expression and replaced it with the same indifference as Wang Xinfa.
Wang Xinfa frowned and said:
"Another one is missing. Two captains are missing at the same time?"
Hou Wendong knew what the council member wanted to ask, so he answered:
"Member, please understand. However, according to the preliminary on-site investigation, Captain Feng Ju's personal vehicle was not found within the Jade Garden area.
This is indeed different from Captain Li Shang's situation. Therefore, Captain Feng's loss of contact may really be due to a temporary communication problem."
(End of this chapter)
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