Is he trying to offer a gift? Or is he trying to curry favor with the government?
Yuan Guoyao disapproved of both of them.
The air in the courtyard seemed to freeze instantly, and the temperature plummeted.
Zhou Changke's enthusiastic smile looked particularly stiff and unnatural.
My goodness!
This Brother Xu is incredibly bold!
Is "above" something that can be casually grasped?
If this gets out, it will cause a lot of trouble!
He glanced subconsciously at Yuan Guoyao beside him, his heart pounding.
He was well aware of this old man's identity; he was the very important figure Xu Kuo was looking for.
However, Yuan Guoyao is an upright and incorruptible man, and it is feared that he will not be accommodating to Xu Kuo's request.
Yuan Guoyao's gaze, which had just been full of admiration, had now cooled. His sharp eyes refocused on Xu Kuo, scrutinizing him and revealing a hint of undisguised disgust and disappointment.
His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, and his previously gentle aura vanished, replaced by a cold and authoritative presence.
“Young man,” Yuan Guoyao’s voice deepened, carrying an unquestionable tone of instruction.
"One must walk one step at a time, and eat one bite at a time. Skills are the foundation for a stable life, and one should focus one's efforts on the right path. Thinking of taking shortcuts and currying favor with the powerful is ultimately just a mirage and will not last."
His words were calm, yet each one struck a chord, revealing a worldly wisdom gained through years of experience, and a deep contempt for opportunists.
Xu Kuo was taken aback, but then he understood.
Oh no! Mr. Yuan has misunderstood!
They thought he was trying to use Brother Zhou's connections to curry favor with some important figure and seek personal gain.
Looking at Yuan Guoyao's serious, even somewhat heartbroken expression, he felt a mix of amusement and anxiety.
"Elder Yuan! You've misunderstood!" Xu Kuo hurriedly waved his hand, his words filled with urgency as he explained, "I'm not trying to curry favor with anyone, much less take any shortcuts! It's just... it's just that I've encountered an emergency, something important that I must report to 'the higher-ups'!"
"Oh? Something important?" Yuan Guoyao raised an eyebrow, his suspicion undiminished, replaced by a hint of inquiry. "What is it that requires the attention of 'the higher-ups'?"
He wanted to see what kind of excuse this kid could come up with.
He's had thousands, if not tens of thousands, of people asking him for favors, and he's heard all sorts of reasons so many times he's sick of them.
Zhou Changke also looked bewildered and curiously leaned over: "Brother Xu, what exactly happened? Tell me quickly! Did something go wrong at the stall?"
Something that could make someone like Xu Kuo anxious must be extraordinary; at least Zhou Changke had never seen Xu Kuo so anxious before.
"It's the vegetable market!" Xu Kuo composed himself and quickly recounted what had just happened, emphasizing a few key points.
"...A bunch of thugs, claiming to be from 'above,' and carrying official documents stamped with the red seal, caused trouble at the Hongqi Town vegetable market! They falsely accused us of price gouging and disrupting the market! They even physically assaulted and arrested Secretary Wen of the town committee! The ringleader was Wang Ming, who was arrested a few days ago for extortion!"
"What?!"
Before Yuan Guoyao could speak, Zhou Changke exploded, slamming his hand on the table so hard that the blue-and-white porcelain vase jumped.
"How could there be such a person, daring to cause trouble with a permit? Who gave him the guts! Which 'higher-ups' approved this? This is outrageous!"
Zhou Changke was furious. He was a patriot and a people-pleaser, otherwise he would not have donated so many cultural relics to the country. Now that he heard about such a person, he was naturally very angry.
Yuan Guoyao's face instantly turned extremely ugly. He stared intently at Xu Kuo, his voice filled with suppressed anger, almost squeezed out from between his teeth.
"Tell me the whole story, in detail, from beginning to end! Don't leave out a single word!"
His gaze was so sharp it seemed to pierce through people's hearts, making Zhou Changke, who was standing next to him, feel a little scared.
Wang Ming? A red-stamped approval document? What audacity!
How dare they be so arrogant in broad daylight!
Xu Kuo dared not delay and immediately recounted in detail the details of the conflict at the vegetable market, from how the thugs provoked him, how Wang Ming threatened him with the permit, how Secretary Wen was arrested, how he took action, to Wang Ming's final harsh words and departure.
After Xu Kuo finished speaking, the courtyard fell into a deathly silence.
"Outrageous! Outrageous!!"
Yuan Guoyao slammed his fist on the stone table, making the teacups shake violently. His chest heaved, his face turned ashen, and his eyes burned with rage.
"Just because they have official approval documents stamped with the red seal, they can do whatever they want?! They can storm government-approved vegetable markets?! They can arbitrarily arrest our officials?! The people behind this are incredibly audacious and lawless!!"
Zhou Changke was also trembling with anger, pointing in the direction of the county town and cursing.
"Bastards! These sons of bitches! Do they really think no one in the county can control them?! Brother Xu, don't worry, I, Old Zhou, will take care of this!"
Seeing the two men's indignant expressions, Xu Kuo felt somewhat calmer and looked at Zhou Changke again, making a sincere request.
"Brother Zhou, that's why I'm so eager to ask for your help in introducing me to someone 'higher up' who can speak on my behalf. This matter can't just be left like this! We must find out who's behind this!"
However, Zhou Changke's expression became very strange. He seemed to want to say something but stopped, and his eyes kept glancing at Yuan Guoyao.
My dear brother Xu!
What else do you need to recommend?
Isn't the biggest "top" sitting right in front of you?!
When Xu Kuo saw Zhou Changke's appearance, his heart skipped a beat.
Could it be... that Brother Zhou is also facing difficulties? Or perhaps this matter is too complicated for him to handle?
Indeed, Zhou Changke was just a businessman and collector. At most, he had some connections with high-ranking officials by sending them antiques. How could he possibly get involved in such a serious problem?
Thinking of this, Xu Kuo felt a surge of disappointment, but also some understanding.
After all, these days, it's better to avoid trouble than to cause trouble. Who would want to invite trouble for someone with a powerful background?
He sighed, stood up, and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to Zhou Changke: "Brother Zhou, since you're in a difficult position, then forget it. I'll figure out a way to handle this myself, so I won't trouble you any further."
It seems that everything depends on him. After all, Wang Ming will definitely not give up now, and he must deal with these people quickly, otherwise they will become a big problem sooner or later.
"Hey! Brother Xu! Wait a minute!" Just as Xu Kuo turned to leave, Yuan Guoyao, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up and grabbed his arm.
Xu Kuo turned around in confusion and looked at Yuan Guoyao: "Elder Yuan, is there anything else?"
Should we offer him more advice and tell him to stop getting involved in this matter?
That won't do. This matter is very important. If Wang Ming gets pushed to the limit and attacks his family, wouldn't that be the end of us?
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