302: Chapter 302 Minister Liu's Visit

"Uncle, your itinerary seems quite full this trip back." Zhu Wenhao spoke up, breaking the silence in the room.

Li Zhengxing seemed startled. "It's the end of the year, and there's a lot going on at the department. I came down for a visit and thought I should also check on the Old Master."

Such pleasantries were just empty noise.

Just then, the door at the end of the hallway made a soft sound.

It opened.

A man in his fifties walked out of the study.

He wore a navy blue jacket over a white shirt with the top button undone. He wasn't tall, but every step he took was extremely steady.

As soon as he stepped out, the air in the living room seemed to be sucked away.

The man turned around and said to the room inside: "Old Master Li, sorry to disturb you. Please, stay where you are."

He closed the door, turned back, and swept his gaze across the living room.

Li Zhengxing practically sprang up and hurried over to meet him: "Department Head Liu."

Department Head Liu glanced at Li Zhengxing and extended his right hand, touching his briefly like a dragonfly skimming water. "Zhengxing, you're working locally now, and the burden is heavy. Make time to come back and look after the Old Master; your health is important."

"I will, I will. Thank you for your concern," Li Zhengxing replied repeatedly.

Department Head Liu nodded and turned his gaze toward Secretary Zhu Tianhe.

Secretary Zhu Tianhe took the initiative to walk over and extend his hand. The two men shook hands briefly before letting go, without a single word of unnecessary pleasantries.

Finally, his gaze fell upon Zhu Wenhao.

He didn't walk over, nor did he extend his hand; he simply stood a few steps away, looking Zhu Wenhao up and down.

Zhu Wenhao sat calmly in his original seat, returning his gaze with a steady, unflinching look.

After his inspection, Department Head Liu turned and walked straight toward the front door.

Butler Wang Jianan immediately followed, opened the door for him, and saw him out to the courtyard.

Outside, the sound of a car engine starting could be heard, followed by tires rolling over the bluestone path, the sound fading into the distance.

Only when the car sounds had completely disappeared did the study door open again.

Li Zhenguo stood at the threshold leaning on his cane, his back even more hunched than usual.

"Zhu Wenhao, come in."

With that, he turned and walked back into the inner room.

Zhu Wenhao stood up and straightened his coat. He exchanged a look with Secretary Zhu Tianhe and Su Qinghan. Secretary Zhu Tianhe nodded slightly, while Qinghan's eyes were filled with alertness.

Zhu Wenhao walked across the hallway and pulled the door of the inner study shut behind him.

The inner room was where Li Zhenguo usually practiced calligraphy. It was usually spotless, but today, it was in complete disarray.

Several wads of discarded rice paper lay on the floor, a white porcelain cup had tipped over at the corner of the desk, water stains soaking half a sheet of paper, and the ashtray was overflowing with cigarette butts.

Li Zhenguo leaned back in his large master's chair, eyes closed, turning a blind eye to the mess on the desk.

"Sit wherever you like." His voice was somewhat dry.

Zhu Wenhao walked to the desk and stood still.

"Grandfather, Happy New Year." He gave a junior's salute.

Li Zhenguo opened his eyes and pointed to the chair opposite him. Zhu Wenhao pulled out the chair and sat down.

Li Zhenguo didn't speak; he picked up the copper kettle to pour tea. His hand was shaking slightly, and a few drops spilled onto the table. He didn't drink, just held the cup, using the warmth to soothe his hands.

The only sound in the study was the ticking of the clock.

After a long while, Li Zhenguo finally set the teacup down.

"The man who just left is the helm of the Liu Family from The Capital." His voice was raspy. "Department Head Liu from the Organization Department, the executive deputy."

Zhu Wenhao leaned back in his chair, listening quietly.

"Secretary Lei Zhen is their son-in-law," Li Zhenguo added. "Department Head Liu is also Deputy Team Leader Liu Hao's uncle."

Li Zhenguo sighed. "Back then, when I became the Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee of Jiangnan Province, the Liu Family had put in effort behind the scenes."

The climb to power never comes with gifts without strings attached.

"The Liu Family helped me clear connections in The Capital and suppressed several of my opponents. I owe the Liu Family a massive favor."

"But later I discovered that their family has no bottom line when it comes to doing things." Li Zhenguo's expression turned cold. "They weren't interested in me; they were interested in the power of my seal. The Liu Family's juniors came to Jiangnan Province, using my name to demand projects and land permits—it was all just get-rich-quick schemes."

"I rejected them all." Li Zhenguo said firmly. "My signature cannot be given casually!"

"By offending the Liu Family, my path to promotion was cut off." He laughed self-deprecatingly. "Originally, I had a chance to advance further. The Liu Family spoke up at the top, and I was pinned to the position of Deputy Secretary until retirement."

Once the old story was finished, the air grew increasingly suffocating.

"Debts of favor are the hardest to repay," Zhu Wenhao commented.

"Zhu Wenhao," Li Zhenguo looked at him, "you know why he came today."

"Grandfather." Zhu Wenhao straightened his posture. "Department Head Liu came to make you repay that favor."

He analyzed clearly. "Secretary Lei Zhen has been suspended from his duties at the Provincial Party Committee, and Bureau Chief Hao Jianguo has surrendered. His end has come. The Liu Family is powerful in The Capital, but their reach doesn't extend to the specific cases in Jiangnan Province. Secretary Lao is determined to handle him; they have no choice but to come to you."

"Did he ask you to pass a message to Secretary Lao, asking him to ease up on Secretary Lei Zhen's issue, let him off the hook, and ensure a safe landing?"

Li Zhenguo nodded. "That's basically the meaning. He used the favor from back then to pressure me. As long as I step forward and say a word, the debt is considered cleared."

Zhu Wenhao tapped his fingers on the armrest. He had seen too much of this kind of kidnapping and political coercion.

"Grandfather, this is difficult to handle," Zhu Wenhao stated.

Li Zhenguo looked at him.

"If you go to pass the message, Secretary Lao is currently using Secretary Lei Zhen's case to clean house and establish authority. If you go to plead for mercy at this time, what will he think?"

Zhu Wenhao hit the nail on the head. "He will only think that our Li Family are all agents of the Liu Family in Jiangnan Province! All the trust we previously established with him will be wiped out in an instant! He might even add us to his purge list!"

Li Zhenguo's expression darkened.

"And if you don't pass the message?" Zhu Wenhao continued. "The Liu Family did you a favor; if you don't speak, it's burning the bridge after crossing it. Once you carry that reputation, who would dare cooperate with the Li Family in the future?"

"Advancing means death, retreating also means death," Zhu Wenhao concluded. "This is Department Head Liu's plan. He threw this deadlock directly onto your desk."

He glanced at the mess on the desk. "I suspect that because you couldn't make up your mind, Grandfather, that's why there are so many discarded papers and cigarette butts on this desk."

Li Zhenguo sighed deeply and lit a cigarette. "That is exactly it. In my life, I have always hated owing favors. But this favor—I cannot repay it, and I must not repay it."

"That's right," Zhu Wenhao said.

Li Zhenguo exhaled a puff of smoke. "Zhu Wenhao, your mind turns quickly. How do we break this deadlock?"

Zhu Wenhao picked up the teacup but didn't drink.

"Actually, Grandfather," his voice turned cold, "whether you say it or not is no longer important."

The cigarette in Li Zhenguo's hand shook, and the ash fell onto the desk. "What do you mean?"

Zhu Wenhao stood up. "What is Department Head Liu's position? Executive Deputy Department Head of the Organization Department in The Capital. Do you think he doesn't know this matter puts you in a difficult position?"

"He knows it all too well." Zhu Wenhao turned around. "He traveled such a long distance, not because he expected you to actually persuade Secretary Lao. Secretary Lei Zhen's case has been made into an ironclad case; no one can overturn it."

"He isn't playing a dirty trick; he's playing an open conspiracy! It's a tactic of holding a knife to your throat and forcing you to commit suicide!"

"Grandfather, the moment this Department Head Liu stepped into this courtyard and entered this study, his goal was already achieved!" Zhu Wenhao said, enunciating every word.

Li Zhenguo had spent decades in the political arena; his mind turned, and he immediately realized what was happening.

"You mean..." He stood up abruptly, the cigarette butt nearly burning his fingers.

"That's exactly it." Zhu Wenhao sat back down.

"What kind of place is this? The Provincial Party Committee's retirement home for old cadres! Everyone living here is incredibly well-connected."

Zhu Wenhao pointed out the crux of the matter.

"Department Head Liu came here with such fanfare today and sat in this study for half an hour. The moment he walked out of this courtyard, the news of your secret meeting was already on Secretary Lao's desk!"

"The Liu Family is trying to drag us into the water! When Secretary Lao sees this news, he won't ask what you talked about; he will only assume that the Li Family has already reached a secret deal with the Liu Family and is preparing to join forces to protect Secretary Lei Zhen!"

"By then, even if we had a thousand mouths, we wouldn't be able to explain it clearly!"

"What a vicious tactic!" Li Zhenguo slapped the mahogany desk. "They want to muddy the waters and drag us down to die with them!"

The Liu Family's calculations were shrewd. By dragging the Li Family into the water, if Secretary Lao Liguo took action against the Li Family, it would inevitably cause an upheaval in the official circles of Jiangnan Province. Once the water was muddied, Secretary Lei Zhen would have a chance to fish in troubled waters.

The air in the study was suffocating.

Li Zhenguo looked at his grandson. "Zhu Wenhao, what do we do now? The news has likely already reached the Provincial Party Committee. Should we go directly to Secretary Lao to explain?"

"Explanation is just a cover-up. If you take the initiative to go to him, it will only make you look guilty. Secretary Lao is suspicious by nature; he won't believe your one-sided story."

Remaining calm in the face of trouble, and adapting to changes in a crisis.

Zhu Wenhao took out his phone.

"It's fine. Since they are using an open conspiracy, we will use an even more direct method to break it."

"It just so happens that I know someone. She can help us explain this matter clearly. And, she will do it in the way that Secretary Lao trusts the most."

Li Zhenguo looked at him: "Who?"

Zhu Wenhao didn't answer; he pressed the dial button directly.