178: Chapter 178 Using a Tiger to Devour a Wolf: Inviting the Boss into the Trap

The phone on the tea table buzzed, and the screen lit up in the slightly dim living room.

The name "Xu Jie" jumped into view.

Su Qinghan's gaze paused on the screen for half a second.

She said nothing, her slender hand resting on her knee, preparing to stand up and avoid the room.

"Qinghan, give the phone to me." Zhu Wenhao sat deep in the sofa.

Su Qinghan handed the phone over.

In front of her, Zhu Wenhao slid the answer button and pressed speakerphone.

This was a silent statement—in this room, there were no secrets that needed to be hidden from her.

Su Qinghan's cool eyes brightened for a moment; she obediently retracted her movement, sat quietly to the side, and a faint, relieved smile appeared on her lips.

The connection was established, and Director Xu Jie didn't waste time with pleasantries, getting straight to the point.

"Secretary Zhu, we have locked onto the person you are looking for."

The female voice on the line had no fluctuations of seeking credit: "I will send you the specific coordinates in a moment. My people are currently watching Lei Dong's hideout from the perimeter. I will notify you immediately if there is any movement."

"Good. Thank you for your hard work." Zhu Wenhao replied with three words.

The call was disconnected.

A moment later, a message was sent over. It detailed the address of a secret villa on Yulong Mountain in the western suburbs of Jingjiang, and even included high-definition images of the surrounding area.

After reading it, Zhu Wenhao slowly rubbed his knuckles along the edge of his phone.

The time to close the net had arrived.

Just as he was about to dial to mobilize his forces, a soft sound of clothing friction came from his side.

"The tea is a bit cold; I'll go make you a fresh cup." Su Qinghan stood up and took the purple clay teapot from the tea table.

Without waiting for Zhu Wenhao's response, she had already turned around, walked into the kitchen with light steps, and the glass door closed behind her.

Zhu Wenhao looked at the closed door, a hint of approval in his eyes.

Knowing not to listen to what should not be heard and never asking about what should not be asked—Su Qinghan's sense of propriety was perfectly grasped. In time, she would be capable of handling things on her own in a more critical position.

He collected his thoughts and dialed the number of Director Qi Shan of the Provincial Public Security Department.

It rang only twice before the call was answered instantly.

"Zhu Wenhao, what happened?" Director Qi Shan's breathing was a bit heavy.

"Uncle Qi." Zhu Wenhao got straight to the point, "We have found the whereabouts of Boss Lei."

On the other end of the line, Director Qi Shan's voice rose an octave: "Is the information accurate?"

"Absolutely." Zhu Wenhao's words were resonant, "I am sending the detailed address to your phone now. The informants of the Jingjiang Municipal Public Security Bureau are everywhere; this matter must bypass them. Speed is of the essence; delays will lead to changes."

"I understand!" Director Qi Shan suppressed his excitement, "I will mobilize the special forces directly under the Provincial Public Security Department right now and have Captain Xiao Zhan lead the team to make the arrest personally! Zhu Wenhao, you have done me and the Provincial Anti-Gang Office a huge favor this time. Thank you!"

"Uncle Qi, you are too kind. As long as Lei Dong is captured, the chessboard of Secretary Lei Zhen in Jingjiang City will fall apart. I wish you a complete victory."

After forwarding the information exactly as it was, the communication ended.

The kitchen door pushed open, and Su Qinghan walked over with freshly brewed hot tea.

Zhu Wenhao picked up the teacup, steam rising up.

With the deadlock regarding Lei Jun resolved, Secretary Lei Zhen would soon be unable to care for himself, and the faction of Deputy Secretary Yang Jianhua would inevitably fall into chaos.

However, the flames of war on the other side of the provincial capital were still burning fiercely. The offensive by Governor Zhou Zhiwen to promote Deputy Director Liu Qiang as the director of the Provincial Development and Reform Commission still needed to be neutralized.

He closed his eyes and pondered.

Throughout history, the scourge of party strife has always stemmed from the uneven distribution of benefits.

Once his nominal uncle took office, the remaining resources of the Li Faction would inevitably tilt toward this legitimate eldest son.

The Zhu family must not sit still and wait for death; they must make their own voice heard in this storm. They would use solid power plays to tell all parties that the Zhu family was the chess player controlling the game, not a vassal attached to a powerful clan.

Since he wanted to break the deadlock, he could not be constrained by conventional rules. He wanted to bypass Old Master Li and his father to intervene directly in the game of the high-level Provincial Party Committee.

Zhu Wenhao put down the teacup, picked up his phone again, and dialed the number of Minister Xiao Dingyu of the Provincial Organization Department.

This was his first time touching the pulse of this core figure of the Li Faction on his own, without the introduction of elders.

Seeing that he was about to make another call, Su Qinghan was about to stand up and avoid the room again.

Zhu Wenhao reached out and gently clasped her slender wrist.

This time, Su Qinghan did not follow his lead. She patted the back of Zhu Wenhao's hand soothingly and gave him a gentle but disciplined look.

Then, she nimbly broke free from his restraint, walked into the inner room, and left the outer space to him.

The call connected.

"Zhu Wenhao." Minister Xiao Dingyu's voice carried a hint of fatigue, "What is the matter?"

As the head of the Provincial Organization Department, Minister Xiao Dingyu had been tormented by the candidate for the director of the Development and Reform Commission recently. Governor Zhou Zhiwen was pressing step by step, while Secretary Lao Liguo was watching from the sidelines with an unclear attitude. The instruction given by Old Master Li was merely to "drag it out," without giving any substantive method to break the deadlock.

"Minister Xiao." Zhu Wenhao's tone was steady, "Regarding the matter of Deputy Director Liu Qiang serving as the director of the Provincial Development and Reform Commission, I have an immature idea and would like to report it to you."

Minister Xiao Dingyu's spirit lifted slightly. He knew this young man's strategy well.

"Zhu Wenhao, speak."

"For a key position like the director of the Provincial Development and Reform Commission, when our Organization Department draws up the list of candidates, we cannot just list Deputy Director Liu Qiang alone. We can arrange for three candidates."

Minister Xiao Dingyu responded in a deep voice: "Yes, but the other two candidates are basically just there to make up the numbers; the real chosen candidate has already been privately settled by all parties."

He waited for what was next, because this was clearly not the point Zhu Wenhao wanted to make.

"The candidates who are just making up the numbers have great potential to be used." Zhu Wenhao tapped his knuckles slowly on the table, "We can insert someone associated with Secretary Lao Liguo into this list of three. Then, submit this list directly to the desk of Deputy Secretary Yang Jianhua of the Provincial Party Committee."

Upon hearing this, Minister Xiao Dingyu said: "But Secretary Lao has not given any instructions to the Organization Department regarding the candidate for the Development and Reform Commission. If we add his trusted aide without authorization, wouldn't that be overstepping our authority?"

"Minister Xiao. The true thoughts in Secretary Lao's heart are not important." Zhu Wenhao pierced through the confusion, "The key is what we want Governor Zhou Zhiwen to see."

The Art of War says: The highest form of warfare is to attack the enemy's strategy; the next is to attack their alliances.

Zhu Wenhao continued to lay out this chain of schemes: "Once the list reaches Deputy Secretary Yang Jianhua, Governor Zhou will surely know within half a day. When Governor Zhou sees that Secretary Lao's direct subordinate is also competing, what will he think?"

Having floated in the ocean of officialdom for half a life, a flash of light flickered in Minister Xiao Dingyu's mind like lightning.

"Governor Zhou will be convinced that Secretary Lao's standing by for these past few days was not a lack of contention at all, but rather openly repairing the plank road while secretly crossing the Chencang!"

Zhu Wenhao analyzed the suspicion of those in power thoroughly, "He will think that Secretary Lao privately pressured the Organization Department, planning to exploit a time difference to snatch the position of director of the Development and Reform Commission at the last minute."

"It doesn't end there." Zhu Wenhao threw out the real killing move, "At the same time that Governor Zhou learns the news, you go to Secretary Lao's office. Hand him this list exactly as it is, and say that this is a candidate the Organization Department has carefully evaluated and considers the most suitable, and you are here to ask for his instructions."

"At the same time, find a few loose-lipped officers and spread the content of this list throughout the Provincial Party Committee Compound quickly."

Minister Xiao Dingyu's hand holding the receiver tightened. This move of removing the firewood from under the cauldron was so vicious.

"When Secretary Lao sees the list and learns that his own trusted aide has become a strong contender for the director of the Development and Reform Commission, and that the news has already spread like wildfire," Zhu Wenhao analyzed coldly, "Even if he knows better than anyone that this is a scheme by the Organization Department to drive the tiger to swallow the wolf, and even if he feels as uncomfortable as if he had swallowed a fly, he absolutely cannot refute it."

"Not only can he not refute it, but in order to appease the sentiments of his own faction, he will have to swallow this bitterness."

"Why?" Minister Xiao Dingyu asked.

"Because he is the number one leader of the Provincial Party Committee, and he must maintain the morale of his own camp." Zhu Wenhao's words were pearls of wisdom, "The people below will see their own person on the core list, and morale will be greatly boosted. If he jumps out to clarify at this time and takes the initiative to give the position to Governor Zhou's person, what will his direct subordinates think? If people's hearts are scattered, it will be difficult to lead the team."

"Therefore, Secretary Lao not only has to bite the bullet and accept this silent grievance, but he also has to praise the Organization Department's work as solid and the evaluation as thorough on the surface. He will have to grit his teeth and go to fight Governor Zhou Zhiwen for this position with real swords and guns."

"When two tigers fight, one will surely be injured. The appointment of Deputy Director Liu Qiang will not pass so easily."

On the other end of the phone, Minister Xiao Dingyu remained silent for a full half-minute.

He was used to seeing conspiracies and overt schemes, but a method like Zhu Wenhao's, which calculated the psychological calculations of the number one, two, and three leaders of the Provincial Party Committee to the extreme and forced them to kill each other, was rare indeed.

This kind of overt scheme is one where you know it's a trap, but you have to jump into it for the sake of the overall situation.

This level of political maneuvering was so ruthless that it made people's backs chill.

"Zhu Wenhao, this move of yours is truly exquisite." Minister Xiao Dingyu's voice was overflowing with appreciation, "I will arrange for Cadre Division 1 to draw up the list right now. Tomorrow morning, the show will begin."

"Thank you for your trouble, Minister Xiao." Zhu Wenhao replied modestly.

The communication ended.

Zhu Wenhao held the phone, closed his eyes, and leaned back deep into the sofa.

This great game of chess in Jiangnan Province had finally been pushed by his own hands into the most tragic endgame.

What he had to do was to gather power step by step in this quagmire, letting all those who thought they were clever follow the trajectory he had set.

Outside the window, the night wind of Heishi Town whistled.

The warmth inside the room, however, lingered endlessly in the tea fragrance of the purple clay teapot.