124: Chapter 124 A Grand Show

Jingjiang City, Changfeng Street, Qinfang Teahouse.

Inside a private room on the second floor, sandalwood incense curled in the air as two performers in ink-wash cheongsams fluttered their water sleeves, singing "Searching for Dreams" from "The Peony Pavilion".

Several official wives sat around a round sourwood table, whispering and laughing.

The teahouse staff stood in the corner, changing hot towels for each guest.

"Wife diplomacy" has always been an indispensable link.

Many conditions that cannot be laid out on the conference table, and ladders that men are too embarrassed to offer each other, are mostly exchanged quietly under the cover of tea fragrance and opera.

Li Juan sat in the guest seat, holding a Ru ware celadon cup in her hand.

In such gatherings in the past, she had always been the undisputed core.

The lingering prestige of Elder Li was enough for her to firmly occupy the main seat in front of the families of these bureau-level cadres.

But retired is retired; although Li Juan's elder brother worked in the central Organization Department in The Capital and had considerable influence on the assessment of provincial-level cadres, and Minister Xiao of the Organization Department visited Elder Li from time to time.

But in the final analysis, a distant official is not as useful as a present one.

In the circle of bureau-level cadres, the Li family's influence was showing an irreversible decline regarding promotions and transfers.

In contrast, He Mei, who was hosting today, faintly had the stance of replacing her.

Deputy Director Liu Qiang had recently been highly valued by the Provincial Party Committee, and rumors of his promotion to a full department-level position were rampant.

He Mei's manner unconsciously elevated by three points.

As the song ended, the ladies were very tactful, finding excuses one after another to leave the private room.

He Mei raised her hand, signaling the service staff in the corner to withdraw as well.

After the door closed, He Mei straightened her back, picked up the purple clay teapot on the table, and leisurely refilled her own tea, while ignoring the cup in front of Li Juan.

This was by no means an oversight.

In the circle of wives, an inadvertent tea-pouring gesture could vividly display the transfer of power.

Li Juan saw it but remained silent.

"Sister Juan." He Mei spoke, "Look, our two families have always interacted frequently.

Your son Zhu Wenhao and our daughter Ruobing have spent this time together in a study class, and I hear the two children usually consult each other and get along quite well."

He Mei picked up her teacup, "Why don't we ask your Old Zhu and our Old Liu to come out and sit together one of these days?"

The probe for a marriage alliance was straightforward.

Li Juan looked at the half-cup of cold tea in front of her; having been told by Zhu Wenhao before coming that he had no intention of a marriage alliance, He Mei's condescending tone made her even more determined.

"Recently, our Old Zhu has been quite busy." Li Juan put on airs, "You know, the guidance group from the province has just settled in Linjiang, and there are a thousand things to attend to.

Besides, he came to the provincial capital for a meeting today, and he has to rush back overnight after the meeting."

He Mei put down the teacup, making a soft sound.

"Li Juan, no matter how busy work is, this life-long matter cannot be delayed.

Let Zhu Wenhao go to the school to pick up Ruobing and bring her over.

Let's have a meal together, what do you think?"

The change in address was without warning.

It went directly from "Sister Juan" to calling her by her full name, "Li Juan".

Just as Li Juan was about to retort, the mobile phone He Mei had placed beside her rang.

He Mei glanced down at the screen, her face full of fawning.

"Mrs. Zhou, hello." He Mei answered the phone, her voice so gentle it could drip water.

Li Juan frowned slightly.

Who is Mrs. Zhou? Among the provincial leaders, the only one with the surname Zhou is Governor Zhou Zhiwen.

"Yes, right. You showed our Ruobing's photo to your younger sister?"

He Mei's eyes and brows were filled with undisguised joy, "The other party is quite satisfied? Is that so? Good, good, good.

Ruobing has been well-behaved since she was a child; it is her blessing to be appreciated by your sister."

After a few words, the call ended.

He Mei placed her phone on the table, resumed her host-like demeanor, and looked at Li Juan.

Looking at her, Li Juan guessed: "Was that a call from Governor Zhou's wife, Ms. Liu Qin?"

He Mei nodded, not hiding her pride at all.

"Mrs. Zhou's sister wants to find a well-matched partner for her son.

She has picked through all the eligible girls in the government compound, and she just happened to take a fancy to our Ruobing at first sight."

Li Juan originally wanted to explain the pros and cons, but seeing He Mei's arrogant posture, thinking she had already climbed onto a high branch, she gave up the idea.

You can't wake someone who is pretending to be asleep; it's useless to say more.

The atmosphere suddenly became extremely awkward.

Only the incense burner in the corner of the private room was still puffing out light smoke.

Just then, the phone in Li Juan's handbag rang.

It was a call from Zhu Wenhao.

Li Juan answered the phone: "Zhu Wenhao, you've arrived? Okay, you park over there, I'll come down right now."

After speaking, she put her phone back in her handbag, stood up, and said to He Mei: "Zhu Wenhao has come to pick me up, I'll be going first."

He Mei sat upright in the sourwood chair, without any intention of getting up to see her off.

She just watched Li Juan leave and nodded slightly, taking it as a farewell.

Outside the teahouse, the autumn wind was slightly chilly.

Li Juan walked down the steps and immediately saw the black Audi parked at the intersection.

She opened the passenger door, sat in, and threw her bag onto the back seat.

Zhu Wenhao started the car.

He glanced at the passenger seat, keenly perceiving that Li Juan was in a very bad mood.

"Mother, why did you come out alone?" Zhu Wenhao said, looking straight at the road conditions ahead, "That Ruobing's mother didn't see you off?"

Li Juan snorted coldly, "Really, she thinks she's about to climb onto Governor Zhou's high branch, her eyes are almost growing on the top of her head."

She recounted everything that happened in the teahouse, including He Mei not refilling her tea, changing her way of address, and that phone call from Mrs. Zhou, without missing a word.

After listening, Zhu Wenhao tapped his index finger slowly on the leather cover of the steering wheel.

His sixty years of experience in the court of the ming dynasty made him all too familiar with such sycophantic plays; the world is bustling for profit.

"Mrs. Zhou's sister's son?" Zhu Wenhao repeated this identity.

"Yes." Li Juan's anger had not yet subsided, "Look at her face; she really thinks that by sending her daughter over, Deputy Director Liu Qiang will be able to call the wind and summon the rain in Jiangnan Province."

"Then let me ask."

Zhu Wenhao picked up the Bluetooth headset on the center console, put it on, and dialed Zhou Xu's number directly.

The phone rang three times before it was answered.

"Zhou Xu." Zhu Wenhao got straight to the point, "Your uncle, Governor Zhou, what kind of person is the son of his wife's sister?"

Zhou Xu on the other end of the line was clearly stunned.

"Zhu Wenhao, why are you suddenly asking about this?"

"Just checking."

Zhou Xu was silent for a few seconds, "That kid is named Wang Lei.

To put it nicely, he is an idle playboy; to put it bluntly, he is a cancer in the circle of The Capital.

He eats, drinks, prostitutes, and gambles; there is no evil he doesn't do.

He has caused several messes, all of which were forcefully suppressed by his elders using all their resources.

It is a miracle that he hasn't been thrown into jail yet.

In our circle, we don't want to hang out with him at all."

Zhu Wenhao got the answer he wanted.

"I see. Let's talk in detail when I get back."

After cutting off the call, Zhu Wenhao took off the headset.

He turned his head and looked at the stunned Li Juan.

"Mother, you heard it." Zhu Wenhao said in a calm tone.

"This is the 'ladder to heaven' that He Mei is so proud of."

"Those who interact for profit will disperse when the profit is gone; He Mei wants to climb to power.

They think they have grasped a great opportunity, but they have forgotten to evaluate the cost behind this opportunity."

Zhu Wenhao merged the car into the main road, "If the noble families of The Capital really wanted a marriage alliance, what kind of famous family couldn't they find?

Why would they look at the daughter of a deputy director of the Provincial Development and Reform Commission for no reason?"

Li Juan had been influenced by the system for many years and understood this immediately.

A layer of cold sweat seeped out from her back.

"You mean, the Zhou family didn't take a fancy to Ruobing at all, but wanted to tie Deputy Director Liu Qiang to Governor Zhou Zhiwen's war chariot?"

"If you want to take, you must first give." Zhu Wenhao gave his conclusion, "Governor Zhou has a shallow foundation in Jiangnan Province and needs economic experts to strengthen his team.

Deputy Director Liu Qiang is currently in the Development and Reform Commission, and is exactly the person he is trying hard to win over.

As for the marriage, it is just a facade.

What they want is to find someone controllable for that useless person, and at the same time, get a grip on Deputy Director Liu Qiang's lifeline."

Zhu Wenhao looked ahead, his voice steady.

"In this world, how can there be such a cheap deal."

"Zhu Wenhao, you are right." Li Juan breathed out a long sigh of relief.

"Other people's choices have nothing to do with us." Zhu Wenhao increased the car's speed, "The matter of Father going to the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection to report should have been handled properly.

The situation in Linjiang City has already been laid out; next, it depends on how the guidance group performs this grand show."

The car traveled steadily through the streets of Jingjiang City.