Zhao Xiaohai's plan had already begun. To wipe out all the resistant trading companies in Khabarovsk in one fell swoop, he had hosted a dinner tonight, under the pretext of welcoming Yakov. The dinner was held in the banquet hall of the Qishino Holiday Hotel, a venue reserved for the rich and powerful. Even including Yakov, only eleven people were invited. Of these, Zyuganov, a military figure, the others were heads of Amur Oblast's trade departments. The heads of eight government departments—the provincial and municipal governments, the Foreign Trade Company, the Customs Inspection and Quarantine Agency, the Chamber of Commerce, the Transportation and Transport Construction Commission, the Health Commission, the Food Commission, and the Internal Affairs Department—were all invited.
Zhao's Trading Company has always maintained close ties with several departments closely related to trade, paying them every penny. Therefore, inviting them to the reception was naturally a no-brainer. Furthermore, the apparent purpose of the reception made it impossible for them to refuse—maintaining a good relationship with the Security Committee was crucial for any department. More importantly, the heads of these departments had just received news yesterday that Zhao Xiaohai, a Chinese national who had been secretly bribing them, had been arrested by the Security Committee. Although he was subsequently released, everyone was on edge. No one knew what Zhao Xiaohai had said to the Security Committee, nor what the new official, Yakov, would do next. Therefore, they had to attend today's reception no matter what.
The weather at this time of year seems unpredictable. At around two o'clock in the afternoon, a sparse drizzle began to fall, and by around five o'clock, the rain had become heavier.
When Zyuganov arrived, except for Zhao Xiaohai and Yakov, all the other invited officials had already arrived. However, these people were gathered in the corridor in front of the main building of the hotel. It was obvious that they were waiting for the main person to appear.
As a high-ranking military commander, Zyuganov held a privileged position among local officials and the Security Council. They held no fear of Yakov, and given Yakov's family background, the general was even less intimidated. However, with so many officials waiting at the door, it was difficult for the two of them to simply enter the building on their own. Instead, a group of people crowded the hallway, chatting and waiting for the main attraction of tonight's banquet to appear.
Zhao Xiaohai and Yakov appeared in the Holiday Hotel compound in a car. When they got out of the car chatting and laughing, and walked straight towards the main building accompanied by several security committee entourages, many officials present secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but in their hearts, they had an indescribable fear of Zhao Xiaohai.
Originally, Yakov had intended not to attend tonight's banquet. This was partly due to the presence of military figures, and partly because he had so openly expressed his support for Zhao Xiaohai. Of course, he also had his own status in mind—what rank were the officials Zhao Xiaohai had invited tonight? With the exception of Amur Oblast First Secretary Novichov, none of them were even worthy of sitting at the same table with him. However, when Zhao Xiaohai presented a host of excuses, Yakov finally gave in. Forget about simply attending a cocktail party in a high-profile manner; even if he was asked to toast everyone at the party, he would do it. Honest people get things done. Things like face and status are nothing compared to money.
Before arriving at the Holiday Inn, Zhao Xiaohai had thoroughly explained his plans to Yakov. Without Yakov's help, something like this wouldn't have been possible. Don't assume that local officials will work wholeheartedly for you just because they've paid you. They have their own considerations. They know exactly what's doable and what's not, what needs to be done immediately and what should be delayed.
Yakov, already lawless, didn't see Zhao Xiaohai's annexation plans as a big deal. They were just a few underhanded private trading companies, so they could be destroyed. Besides, how many companies trading in the Far East were clean? Who could say they weren't evading taxes? Who could say they weren't smuggling contraband? Picking out just one or two of these flaws would easily wipe them out, leaving them helpless. Yakov even thought Zhao Xiaohai was overdoing it. His people could handle things like this on their own; the secret police were invincible.
In the corridor in front of the hotel building, Zhao Xiaohai was greeting warmly with officials from all parties who were waiting there. Although Yakov was the focus of everyone's attention, he was waiting quietly with a gloomy face on the side. It looked as if he was owed millions of dollars.
Zyuganov watched with a cold eye, feeling a mixture of emotion and relief. He lamented that despite his rank as a general, he still couldn't boast the influence of a colonel on the Security Council. He was relieved that they no longer had to worry about military spending. It was clear that Zhao Xiaohai had already implicated the newly appointed chairman of the Security Council's Far Eastern branch. Now, everyone was in a state of disarray, with both sides grappling with the issue. The military and the Security Council were once again trying to maintain their mutual understanding.
"Ah, comrades," Zhao Xiaohai said loudly after greeting several officials one by one. "Brother, I came to Khabarovsk from China to do business. It has been a few months now. During these few months, thanks to your care, my company has grown to its current size."
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