0168 177 The fragrance of incense fills Chang'an, the whole city is adorned with golden armor.
The words, "Zhou Xiye will continue to serve as the Secretary of the Kunming Municipal Party Committee," echoed in the conference hall.
The people in the first three rows spontaneously stood up and applauded Zhou Xiye, and Ling Xingzhi was no exception. Perhaps this was the result everyone wanted, and it was also a sign of respect for Zhou Xiye. Winning people's hearts is the highest achievement for an official.
Win the hearts of your colleagues first, then you will win the hearts of the people.
Ling Xingzhi felt relieved and looked in Zhou Xiye's direction. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Qiao Senxi, who had also stood up. Qiao Senxi was smiling and looking at Zhou Xiye with a hint of admiration.
Almost instantly, Ling Xingzhi understood why Zhou Xiye trusted Qiao Senxi but not him.
He sat down with a sullen face, standing out conspicuously in the crowd. Zhou Xiye glanced over and narrowed his eyes.
After the meeting, many people surrounded Zhou Xiye to congratulate her, while Ling Xingzhi left with a cold face. Zhou Xiye saw this but did not chase after him.
"It's so good to be back..."
Wu Qiong walked down from the stage and stood in front of Zhou Xiye. The crowd made way for her to be in the middle, and the two faced each other.
“Zhou Xiye, now that you’re back, do a good job. You’re still young and have a bright future ahead of you.”
She smiled warmly on the surface, but Zhou Xiye understood that there was a hidden meaning in her words. "Secretary Wu, I will definitely work hard under your guidance and not do anything that would harm the interests of the people."
Wu Qiong chuckled. He was a good person, but she didn't need him. She only needed warriors, not someone with ideals and ambitions.
Having been reinstated, the matter should have ended there. Zhou Xiye, a person with no connections, had gone through several twists and turns, and continuing in her position as municipal party secretary would have been quite good. However, things far exceeded everyone's expectations. Zhou Xiye unexpectedly took on the concurrent post of Minister of Military Affairs of the Yunnan Kunming Military Region Command, a senior colonel, equivalent to a department-level official—the same rank as her current municipal party secretary, but with an added layer of prestige.
What is the reason?
The official document clearly states: "Comrade Zhou Xiye made outstanding contributions to stabilizing the conflict on the China-Myanmar border."
After reading the document, Ling Xingzhi understood everything: what Zhou Xiye had done during her disappearance, and who she had reached an agreement with. He tossed aside the official document and stormed into Zhou Xiye's office. Zhou Xiye was sitting upright behind her desk. Hearing the sound, she looked up and saw Ling Xingzhi; she wasn't surprised.
"Mayor Ling, what wind has finally blown you here?" Zhou Xiye asked with a smile.
Ling Xingzhi ignored her, walked straight into the house, sat on the sofa, took out a cigarette from his pocket, and lit one for himself. Zhou Xiye showed no displeasure, closed the door, and took out a teacup. "There's only flower tea here, you don't mind, do you?"
She brewed the tea, carried the teacups to the sofa, placed one cup in front of Ling Xingzhi, and held the other in her hand.
Smoking is prohibited in Zhou Xiye's office, but Ling Xingzhi was smoking recklessly, filling the room with smoke. Zhou Xiye didn't say anything, took a sip of tea, and waited for Ling Xingzhi to ask.
After a short while, Ling Xingzhi turned to look at Zhou Xiye, and he got angry at her current air of complete control. "You're sitting here looking all dignified, Zhou Xiye, don't you feel ashamed?"
Zhou Xiye nodded, looked at Ling Xingzhi and said, "I feel guilty, I feel guilty towards you."
"Did you go to see Ling Qingyun?"
Zhou Xiye shook his head. "No."
What exactly did you do during the days you disappeared?
Zhou Xiye shook his head again.
Ling Xingzhi hated Zhou Xiye to the core at this moment. He gritted his teeth and squeezed out the words, "You'd rather believe Qiao Senxi than tell me? Am I that worthless?" He held back the rest of his words. He really wanted to question Zhou Xiye about all the efforts he had made for her, and why she hadn't seen them?
Ke Lingxingzhi did not want to use this thing to coerce Zhou Xiye.
“No,” Zhou Xiye shook his head again, “You are very good. I know you took care of me when I was sick. I know everything about you.”
"Then why are you still hiding it from me!" Ling Xingzhi roared. "I'm asking you, were you faking your mental problems?"
"Not entirely... I was indeed not feeling well during the days you weren't here, but by the time you arrived, I was almost fully recovered..."
“Fine, fine, fine…” Ling Xingzhi laughed angrily, “In ancient times, Zhu Di pretended to be insane to seize the throne, and now you, Zhou Xiye, are playing the fool…” Ling Xingzhi paused, “What are you pretending to be insane for? You’re just a useless pawn now, what can they do to you?”
Zhou Xiye smiled calmly, "Ling Xingzhi, you have a good father. If you don't want to play anymore, he'll cover for you. But in the game of power, you have no chance to rest. Once you're in, you have to keep playing until you fail or die. I need to make sure I'm safe, and that they ignore this 'madman.'"
The two men stared at each other, and Ling Xingzhi's emotions gradually calmed down. Finally, he turned his head away, a wisp of cigarette escaping between his fingers. He sighed deeply, "You schemed against me, didn't you? No destruction, no construction..." He then looked at Zhou Xiye, his eyes already filled with resignation, "You orchestrated this plane crash, didn't you? When a plane crashes, there's almost no chance of survival. I had people investigate, and the plane's black box couldn't be found. In an accident like this, the black box can't be missing. There's only one possibility: you did it on purpose."
Zhou Xiye nodded and said firmly, "Yes, it was me who did it. Not only did it delay time and diminish my standing in the enemy's eyes, it also destroyed Fuxian Tower. This is a good excuse to investigate Fuxian Tower. I will clean up all the forces behind Fuxian Tower. From now on, I will be the one to call the shots in Kunming."
Ling Xingzhi nodded. "One last thing, you met Ling Qingyun before leaving Beijing, and then you got into trouble. This made me and everyone else think that Ling Qingyun had targeted you, and that you were forcing me to make a choice. Now that I've come to Kunming, I've become a pawn in your game, and Ling Qingyun doesn't dare to do anything to you. And I did it willingly, didn't I?"
"Yes, that's right."
The woman in front of him readily admitted that she had treated Ling Xingzhi as a pawn and had shown no mercy in doing so.
"And Zhou Pei? Did you save him?" Ling Xingzhi almost laughed when he asked this. But he didn't see a confident smile on Zhou Xiye's face. She just lowered her head and remained silent, her hand holding the cup twitching slightly, everything was understood without words.
Ling Xingzhi looked away. "When is he to be executed? Aren't you going to see him one last time?"
Zhou Xiye stood up, walked to the desk, and put down his teacup with a crisp sound, making Ling Xingzhi look over. Zhou Xiye sat on the edge of the desk and said very calmly, "He is dead."
Silence lingered in the air.
Ling Xingzhi didn't believe him. He stood up and asked, "Your brother is dead. Aren't you sad?"
"I'm sad, but it's no use."
Zhou Xiye said coldly, his fingers digging into the corner of the table with great force. Ling Xingzhi didn't know what to say either. He silently walked up to Zhou Xiye, raised his hand, and then lowered it again a few seconds later. Silence had become a familiar and unspoken rule between them.
"Secretary Zhou, I have something to attend to, so I'll be leaving now."
Back in the car, Ling Xingzhi didn't rush to have the driver start the car. He leaned back in his seat and said after a while, "Let's go, back to the municipal government."
After Zhou Xiye returned, Ling Xingzhi moved back to the municipal government office. Before getting out of the car, Ling Xingzhi told Li Qingshan, "Keep a close eye on Qiao Senxi; there's something wrong with him."
Zhou Pei's fate remains a mystery. Although there's an execution record, the video footage is blurry, leading Ling Xingzhi to believe things aren't so simple. Most importantly, there's Zhou Xiye's emotional state. Zhou Pei is dead; she shouldn't be like this. Between Zhou Pei and Ye Rouxin, the former is more important to Zhou Xiye. He'd witnessed Ye Rouxin's emotions after her death; even if people change, she couldn't have become completely devoid of her former self. It's ironic that he wholeheartedly sought Zhou Xiye's help, only to be met with indifference. Ling Xingzhi spent the entire night thinking and made other preparations.
Having made this decision, Ling Xingzhi quickly regained his composure. He was now focused on doing what was in front of him and didn't need to think about anything else. After all, the partisan struggle was no longer his concern. He had done what he needed to do, but sometimes it was important to act in accordance with the prevailing circumstances.
But Zhou Xiye didn't play by the rules. After that day, she was very enthusiastic towards Ling Xingzhi. During a meeting, their hands accidentally touched, and when they looked up and met each other's eyes, Zhou Xiye smiled ambiguously. In the elevator, she snuggled into Ling Xingzhi's arms, and her hand accidentally touched his private parts. Ling Xingzhi's Adam's apple bobbed, and he turned his body slightly to the side.
It's nothing serious; he definitely knows what it means.
This unspoken ambiguity was quickly broken.
After socializing, Ling Xingzhi went to karaoke with some investors. Naturally, women were expected to accompany the men. Several minor celebrities and internet personalities surrounded him, but Ling Xingzhi didn't fancy any of them and sat in a corner smoking and drinking by himself.
Some celebrities came over to greet him; their muscles beneath their white shirts were sexy, and smiles lingered around their eyes and mouths, giving off an unapproachable aura. After a few rounds of drinks, Ling Xingzhi prepared to go home, glancing at his watch. He inadvertently caught sight of a woman beside him, her foxy eyes fixed on him.
Ling Xingzhi felt the person in front of him looked familiar, but couldn't quite place who she was. The woman smiled, moved closer, and began speaking in English. Ling Xingzhi listened carefully and realized she was Korean; she was a minor Korean celebrity brought over by Korean investors—or, in more fashionable or trendy terms, an idol.
Ling Xingzhi, who had overseas experience, pretended not to understand the woman's explanation after listening to her, waved his hand, and tried to leave. But the woman's hand snaked around his arm, then his body. Her eyes were full of seductive allure, and Ling Xingzhi gently pushed her away.
But the woman then became clingy.
Just as Ling Xingzhi was about to push the door open, a flash of light suddenly went off in the private room. Everyone closed their eyes, except for the trained idol who turned his head to look over, his face full of charm.
Zhou Xiye put away his phone, looked at the people in the private room, and turned on the lights. Several investors didn't recognize Zhou Xiye and started babbling a bunch of things, trying to rush up to him. Then, the others told them that he was the municipal party secretary, an official one level higher than the mayor.
Within seconds, everyone's expression changed, and they looked over with smiles, quickly getting up to shake hands with Zhou Xiye.
On the other hand, Ling Xingzhi ruthlessly pushed the woman off him and strode out. Zhou Xiye, however, tossed his hair aside, sat on the sofa, and chatted with them for a few words.
As Ling Xingzhi was leaving, he leaned against the car. When he saw Zhou Xiye come out, he stubbed out his cigarette and straightened up.
"Shall we go out for a couple of drinks?"
"The teahouse, the Shen family's teahouse, isn't it supposed to have authentic Da Hong Pao tea?" After getting into the car, Zhou Xiye touched Ling Xingzhi's leg, from the knee down to the base of his penis, and then patted it lightly. Ling Xingzhi chuckled, "You look just like a tyrant."
"What's wrong with becoming a lecherous person for your sake?"
Zhou Xiye smiled.
Ling Xingzhi raised his hand and smoothed Zhou Xiye's hair. "Let's not go for tea, let's go eat hot pot?"
"Hot pot? I haven't had it in ages."
Ling Xingzhi couldn't find authentic Beijing copper hot pot in Kunming, so the two found a popular restaurant. They didn't ask for a private room, but sat at a square table with steaming copper pots. Ling Xingzhi prepared the sesame sauce, and Zhou Xiye, also from the north, naturally preferred the sesame sauce.
Halfway through the meal, Zhou Xiye received a phone call. When he returned, he looked at his phone, pulled up the photos of Ling Xingzhi and Xiao Aidou, and placed them in front of Ling Xingzhi. "You know what, the quality of the photos taken by someone with professional training is just different."
Ling Xingzhi snorted and took a big bite of mutton.
Zhou Xiye laughed awkwardly, "You're different now, aren't you afraid I'll use this photo to report you?"
Without even looking up, Ling Xingzhi said, "Go ahead, I'll accept defeat wholeheartedly."
Zhou Xiye found it pointless, deleted the photos, put her phone away, and sat down next to Ling Xingzhi. "Didn't you say you'd walk this path with me? Why have you been so cold to me these past few days?"
Ling Xingzhi paused in his chopsticks, turned to look at him, and asked, "Why? Don't you know the answer yourself?"
These words made Zhou Xi feel guilty.
"Then tell me, what do you want in return for your forgiveness?"
Upon hearing this, Ling Xingzhi put down his chopsticks, slowly looked at Zhou Xiye, and his eyes flashed with cunning.
Damn it, they've taken the bait.
Ling Xingzhi got off Zhou Xiye and rolled over, while Zhou Xiye shifted to the side, sweating profusely. Both their cheeks were flushed, waiting for the tide of desire to recede.
“I thought Secretary Zhou had long forgotten what desire was after his enlightenment, but I never expected…” Ling Xingzhi turned his head to look over, “like wolves and tigers.”
"Everyone has desires. Suppressing desires will only cause internal collapse, so they must be released externally."
The room was pitch black, and the two of them closed their eyes, listening to each other's breathing.
“I’ve been thinking about this for the past few days, Zhou Xiye. I left my father for you, so I must get something in return from you. I’m not a saint, I’m not content just to see the person I love doing well… I have to get what I want, and I have to get something in return for my investment,” Ling Xingzhi said calmly. “The only way to keep us together and prevent us from separating is through marriage.”
Zhou Xiye opened his eyes, and everything was pitch black. Ling Xingzhi's words pounded in his ears, "Zhou Xiye, let's get married."
At the same time, Zhou Xiye heard Ling Qingyun's words again—"He will definitely marry you."
“Zhou Xiye, do you remember what I told you at the Kunming airport? Ling Xingzhi is the future emperor, handpicked by the previous generation of leaders. He needs to be tempered, and you should help him withstand all problems and support him to rise to the top. Those powerful families are ultimately unreliable. To save your brother's life, you not only need to go to northern Myanmar to quell those troubles for me, but more importantly, you need to protect Ling Xingzhi.”
"The day he became emperor, weren't you also the empress?"
If Zhou Xiye can help Ling Xingzhi become emperor, then why can't she be emperor herself?
Ling Qingyun was too arrogant. Her temporary humility was merely a prelude to a better attack. For Zhou Pei's sake, she was willing to humble herself once.
endure.
Zhou Xiye pulled the blanket over his naked body.
Only a person who can endure and suppress their desires can achieve their ultimate goal. Having gone through this ordeal, Zhou Xiye has become a shrewd and calculating politician. Having seen the true nature of people and experienced darkness, she deeply understands that if you want to do great things, if you want to do good things, and if no one will trip you up when you are doing things, you must stand at the highest position.
She found her home on her journey.
"Okay, let's get married."
Her icy hands touched Ling Xingzhi's chest, their cool touch igniting his desire.
This is a real venomous snake.
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